50 Hakuchūmu
by xogutterflower
Summary: A series of fantasies, centered upon Sasuke and Sakura. 35.) Summary : Everything really isn't.
1. go go go

_A series of one shots centered around Sasusaku. Updated when inspiration hits. R &amp; R?_

_Summary : What possesed him to join this _idiot's _crew was beyond him, and what possesed him to save the annoyingly loud girl with pink hair another mystery of the universe._

_Rating : K+_

_Characters : Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Gaara._

_Warning : Pirate!Naruto &amp; FirstMate! Sasuke_

_Go Go Go_

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Captain Uzumaki steered the large, wooden vessel upon the open shores of Konahagakure with a large grin on his face. The waters were rough and the boat rocked from harsh waves, but that was irrelevant to him. All that mattered was the couple thousand feet of open, blue-green water between him and the Fire Country. He reveled in the thrill of the ocean and the salty sea air, pleased with himself for adopting this new life at sea. The bright sun sat low in the sky, signaling the end of another day was coming soon. He sighed softly, letting himself rest against the twelve inch wooden wheel. "You know, teme," he yelled, talking to his only crewmate, the infamous Sasuke Uchiha, "this may have been the smartest idea I've ever had."

"I could name a _million _other things that you've done that were smarter than this, dobe," he called back from the crow's nest. The pale man sat at his post, searching for land. His jet-black bangs clung to his face desperately, slick with sea water. The back of his hair stood on end, much like a chicken's back end. One onyx eye was shut sightly, the other peering through a golden telescope. His line was set in a straight line, his bottom lip pouting ever so slightly. "We'll hit land in about an hour," he said, coming down from the tall tower. "We should dock there and stay a night," he suggested to the self appointed captian, who nodded, seeming most pleased.

"Sasuke, this is _definitely _the best thing we've ever done," the blond said, his whiskers becoming longer and longer by the second. Sasuke scoffed at him and latched his telescope onto his purple belt.

"You mean abandoning the _only_ people we knew? Yeah, that was _incredibly _smart. _Genius, _even. _Dobe," _he said sarcastically. He sighed softly, lean on the helm of the large boat.

"_What_ people, teme? Your folks are _dead, _and mine abandoned me when I was _born. _All we really have is each other, yknow," the blond said, with a roll of his blue eyes. His orange and black coat blew wildly in the wind, and he smiled brightly. His blue eyes were filled with nothing but hope. "Teme," he started again, putting his arm around the taller man's shoulders, "I think we're gonna find what we're lookin' for out here."

"Do you even know what you're looking for, Naruto?" Sasuke asked with a heavy voice. When the blond suggested - _forced - _him to come along this adventure at sea, he didn't hesitate. The idiot had already won the boat off some unlucky fellow who he cheated at a game of cards, and he had no reason to stay. Like Naruto already said, his parents were dead. His brother went missing immediaately after. He didn't know much about them, but he knew enough where he wanted to find whoever killed them and exact some kind of venegance. He had no ties to the place, and no one there really mattered to him a great deal - save for Naruto.

The blond idiot lost his parents before he got a chance to remember what they looked like. He couldn't stand the nonchalant way he carried himself, all carefree and whatnot. His parents were _gone, _no trace of foul play found with him. Shouldn't he more depressed? Shouldn't he feel more alone, more lost?

More like him?

Then it dawned on him. He _couldn't _feel what he felt. It would've been _impossible _for the young boy to imagine what it was like to lose your brother and your parents, to lose everyone you cared about. Naruto never had anyone to care about them, so he didn't know how to feel when they left them. He accepted it with a brave grin, it was another fact of life. One that, no matter how hard he wished, would never change.

Ever since that small, unimportant realization, he's stuck to Naruto like glue. Sure, he thought the boy was utterly hopeless in every adventure he'd been in, but he was with him nonetheless.

Naruto became the brother he lost.

So instead of letting the brave loser travel the world alone, he opted to go with him.

Setting his coal eyes on the large mass of waters ahead, he knew that he wouldn't be regretting this decision.

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The pink haired girl moved along with a bunch of other girls, their hands bound behind their backs with thick rope. Their costumes were designed to expose more than enough skin, but hers was undeniably the skimpiest. She wore a bright green top, with enough jewels to blind a bat, that only covered her breast. Her shoulders were left bare and her mid section was left unclothed. Her long, pale legs were mostly exposed from a pair of small black shorts that clung tightly to her figure. On her feet were clear slippers, her dainty toes showing. She had bright green eyes, the color of seafoam. Before she'd gotten herself into this mess, she'd been told that eyes like that would only get her into trouble.

They were right.

The girl sighed heavily, her captors had been trying to sell her off for weeks on end. She was becoming too much of a burden in their large troupe, they'd told her. While she was certainly the best dancer their was, the other girls weren't ranking in as much monet as they could with _her _around. And with her adament refusal to - ahem - _sell _her body, she was becoming more and more of deadweight. Instead of letting her go, like they'd promised so many times before, they bound her wrists and kept her shackled to other girls, forcing her to person every night, like them.

Really, all she wanted was to go back to her homeland. She didn't have much there, and she'd have _nothing _when she'd return, but at least she was respected there. Here, they did all they could to strip her of her identity. She was grouped together with a bunch of dancers who could perform _almost _as good as her, and they tattooed a number on her ankle, _1886\. _The only thing they didn't take from her was her name, which they thought was fitting for a girl with ridculously _pink _hair.

Sakura.

She was Sakura, and she was a captive dancer, currently on her way to perform for the king of Sunagakure.

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The two men sat at an nearly empty bar close to the shore. The whole place was incredibly quiet, but the older of the two gentlemen wasn't complaining.

The younger was.

"Why hasn't anyone stopped in?" he asked the old man standing behind the counter. The portly looked at the two boys, his beady brown eyes glaring softly. Sasuke, being easily aggravated, glared back at the man, but added a snarl. The old man huffed at them and turned his back, drying another glass.

In a flash, Sasuke had his sword drawn to the man's neck. "I believe my friend asked you a question, _old man," _he said dangerously. The portly man promptly dropped the glass he was polishing and turned around, only to stare in the face of the man who held his life. Sasuke smirked at the old man, and Naruto laughed slightly.

"There's a show going on in the heart of the town," he answered fearfully, seeing the malicious glint in the young man's dark eyes. The edge of the blade pressed closer onto the man's neck, nearly breaking the skin. "That's all I know, _foreigner! Leave my place at once!" _the man yelled, nearly fainting from the sword's closeness.

"Wanna go see the show, first mate?" the blond question, standing up from his spot on the bar. His coat flapped behind him, bearing a large swirl on his back. A side smile toyed of his face as he prepared to walk out of the small bar.

Re-shealthing his sword, the raven haired boy followed him. "Gladly, _Cap'n," _he said, the word rolling off of his tongue. While he would never admit to Naruto that he accepted him as the captain of the _S.S. Rasengan, _he'd gladly show it off as a means to strike fear into the hearts of those who dared to challenge him.

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She had to admit, Sunagakura was dazzling at night. The makeshift stage they were performing on was made of solid marble, desgined to bring out the best in their appearances. There was a large black curtain in front of them, hiding them until they were set to perform. Candy green eyes moved around to study how dark the sky became, not a single cloud in sight. Dozens of stars shined overhead, silently greeting them.

If tonight was truly her last performance, she was glad they had a beautiful backdrop.

Her long, pink hair hung down her back in gentle curls, framing her entire body in a blanket of pink. The outfit that revealed so much of her seemed to shimmer in the night sky, giving her an unearthly sense of beauty. It was obvoius that she was the center of attention, the lead in the dance. Her clear slippers seemed to be invisible to her, giving the appearance of bare-footedness.

Her wrist were unbound by the ropes, but the red marks wereetched into her skin for what could be weeks. Her ankles fared no better. She sighed, rubbing them slightly. She could see her breath turn white, then disappear into nothingness. "Hey, Sak," one of the girls said to her. She turned her green eyes away from her wounds and towards the voice. "Break a leg out there tonight," the girl said, stretching herself out.

"Thanks," she said back, softly.

"I was being serious."

"Oh," was all she said.

She could hear the music starting, signaling them to get into place. She stood up and gracefully walked to her place in the center of the stage, anxiously waiting for the curtain to rise. _This is it, _she told herself, _you're free after this one. _A cold hand clamped down on her shoulder, slightly startling her. She was used to people touching her, but she still hated when she couldn't see them first. She narrowed her green eyes, but forced a smile on her face. "Yes, sir?" she said as quietly as possible.

"Do good tonight," he said, his voice harsh and demanding. It wasn't a sign of good luck, it was an order. She nodded at him silently.

"I get to go home after this one, right?" she asked, looking him in the eyes. She gave him a fierce look, but he laughed it off. He put a large hand on her face and smiled at her, revealing stained teeth.

"Do good tinight, and you'll go _wherever _you want, _Sakura," _he said, walking off stage. She sighed softly, and kept her place. Her starting position would be on the ground, hidden in thck mist. Candy apple eyes closed gently, feeling the music move through her.

_Here we go._

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_._

The boys found a group of girls performing on a large, white stage and deemed that was the show. While there were more than a handful of dancers fluttering on stage, they lost their focus when a beautiful girl appeared from, what seemed to be, mist. She rose above the others like a pheonix, surpassing them all in grace and skill. She was a blur of green and pink, seemingly floating across the stage with the kind of poise you only see once in a lifetime.

For Sasuke, this would be his one and only time. He's completely immersed himself in the enchanting pink-haired woman swaying across the stage, capturing his attention and running with it. She spins slowly, and the music abruply stops. The dancers back away from her, and a spotlight is cast upon her.

He could've sworn he's never seen anything more beautiful. She seemed to glow as she fluttered to the edge of the stage. The way she moved, she was hypnotic. The music began to start again, and she slowed herself down.

he felt something pang inside him when her green eyes met stopped in the middle of the dance, and stared at him. Onyx eyes locked with pastel green ones, and they held their place. It was a simple gesture, a stare.

Then, she collasped to her knees and the music picked back up.

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After the dance, Sakura was approached by the king. Her captors stood by her, but she had no idea what was going on. Slowly, the king gripped her hand and bought it to his lips, placing a charming kiss there. She smiled at him politely, but snatched her hand back as fast as she could. "You were very...enchanting out there, young lady," he spoke, his voice cool and even. She blushed at him slightly, remebering that this was her last show.

"That's an honor, my lord," she replied, with a small bow of her head.

"I'd _love _to have you stay with me a little longer," he said, not directly towards her. His eyes were cast towards the three men surrounding her, looking at them for some sort of inclination.

She opened her mouth to speak, but she was silenced easily. "She's worth thirty pieces of gold," one of the men said, holding her hand behind her 's green eyes widened, desperately looking around.

"I'm not for _sale, Daisuke," _she said angriliy, glaring at the king. Quickly, she whipped her head around to glare at the men behind her. "You _lied _to me," she said, her voice trembling with anger. She struggled against the stronger man's grip on her arm. "You _said _I could go _home, Jiro! _What happened to me _leaving?!" _She violently thrashed around, trying to free herself from her captors.

"She's fiesty," Gaara observed, looking at her with mild amusement. "How cute."

"You can go to hell," she spat, looking the king in the eye.

With that, she stomped on one of her captors foot and ran.

_I'd rather die than go back to _them, she thought, using all her strenth to outrun them.

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Our favorite pirates were shocked to see a pink blur run past them. The two were going back to the ship, as they had enough of the small county for one night. All the two wanted to do was drift down the ocean, letting the waves decide their next decision. The blur stopped in front of them, and spoke hurridly, "You two were at the recital, right?" She constantly glanced over their shoulders to make sure that the men haven't found her yet.

"You're the pretty dancer!" Naruto said loudly, his face breaking out in a characteristic grin. Sasuke, on the other hand, said nothing and kept his eyes on her. She was smaller than he'd expected, and he noticed the lacerations on her wrists. She seemed timid and frightened, and she was almost out of breath.

"Can you get me away from this place?" she asked desperately, her eyes wide. Upon hearing heavy footsteps, she pulled the two men with her as she ran. "If you guys wanna live, we have to go," she said, hastily turning a corner that landed them in the middle of a busy street. She looked behind her, checking to see if she was still close to her pursuers.

_"What _are you running from?" Sasuke asked, stopping them in the middle of the fast moving group.

"It's a long story, and I don't have time to tell the details," she started, looking at the two. "Very bad men want to sell me off to the king. _I _need to get as far away from them as possible," she said consisely. Seeing the two men stare at her in contemplation, she sighed, "I can read maps...and shorthand. I've been traveling on the seas since I was eleven, so I can usually find out where we need to be. Please, don't make me stay here."

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"Welcome to the _S.S Rasengan, _Navigator Sakura," the Uchiha said, grabbing her hands and pulling her towards the ship.


	2. the slasher flick

_A series of one shots centered around Sasusaku. Updated when inspiration hits. R &amp; R?_

_Summary : They shouldn't have called the movie stupid._

_Rating : T, swears._

_Characters : Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto_

_Movie talk is itallicized._

_The Slasher Flick_

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The woman on the television let out a terrible scream, and ran for the life of her. Still dripping wet from the hot shower she's just taken, she, unintentionally, made the floor incredibly slick. She turned her beautiful, blonde head to look at her pursuer and screamed at him, _"Stay away from me, you bastard_!"

The cloaked figure said nothing, but slightly increased his speed. His knife glinted off the screen, the metal soon to be stained a bloody red.

"I give her two minutes," the girl in the room said. Her long pink hair dangled down the small of her back, tied back by a red headband. She sat in between two of her friends on an old blue couch, her green eyes unamusedly watching. She was the whore of the movie, the character who died first, no matter the situation. Even _she _should've known she wasn't making it out alive. The people watching the movie knew, for sure. "I'm just not sure whether the killer's gonna slit her throat of stab her in the back," she finished, her hands on her knee.

"He's definitely gonna slit her throat, Sak," the boy with black hair said. He sat on one side of her, his hands lazily drawn around her shoulder. His black hair was incredibly spikey in the back, and his dark eyes were barely watching the film. He smirked at the screen expectedly, silently counting down the seconds. "She's gonna fall, then start crawling," he said boredly.

And with a thud, the woman in the movie slipped down the stairs, hitting her head on the bottom step. The blond in the room made a face of disdain, slightly feeling sorry for the victim. The killer trudged down the stairs, his black boots becoming more and more ominous. "_Games over, dollface," _he said to the girl, crawling her way to the living room. Her screams became louder and louder, mixed in with pleas and cries. Her towel managed to slip down her body, revealing more creamy skin.

"Why doesn't she get up? They never get up," she sighed, rolling her eyes. She leaned back into the couch and watched, with mild amusement, as the killer dragged his knife across her throat, silencing her screams. "The sluts always die first," she commented, seeing the movie's opening appear across her dead body.

And just like that, the movie was turned off. The blond sitting on her other sighed huffed loudly. "You guys suck," he said, walking over to the lights. His blue eyes stared at the two left on the couch.

"You suck, Naruto," Sakura said, throwing a blue pillow at him.

"It's no fun if you predict _every single detail _of the kill!" he argued back, looking at her with soft eyes. Naruto was an avid horror fan, and did all he could to protect the film's not-so-great reputation. It was predictable, that was _painfully _true, but that didn't take away from the thrill of watching the nearly dead run for their lives. The power struggle between innocence and evil was a fight he was willing to watch.

Even if the movie did a _terrible _job at showing it.

"It's _no fun _if the movie _isn't good," _the other boy said, looking at the blond shifting through his collection of dvd's. He looked at the girl under his arm and smirked softly. "_We _could make a better movie than that," he said, standing up. Naruto gasped and chucked an empty case at him.

"You take that back, Sasuke!" he yelled, looking at him with angry eyes.

"You know it's true!" he argued back, standing up.

Sakura tuned out of the two's senseless argueing and bought her attention to the case that Naruto threw. It seemed like an ordinary case, but Naruto never had an empty case. He wasn't the cleanest of people, but his collection was absolutely priceless to him. He knew where all of his movies were at a given time, and made sure they were in their place.

The cover showed a picture of a dark town, a man with a mask holding a large axe in hand. She could see a red eye peeking out from the mask, but no other feautures to give away his identity. The title was blurred out, but she could reas the caption clearly; _Want to play a game?_

She sighed and handed the case back to the blond, who was wrestling with the raven headed boy. "You know what movie this is?" she asked, waving the case in front of both of their faces.

She was surprised to see two completely shocked faces.

"I've never seen that case in my life, Sakura," the blond said, his eyes staring at the empty case.

Before she knew it, she was out cold.

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She awoke on a cold street, a deep crimson stain of her turquoise leggings. She was completely alone, but a small device stared up at her.

_"Wanna play a game, Sakura?"_


	3. ghost of you

_A series of one shots centered around Sasusaku. Updated when inspiration hits. R &amp; R?_

_Summary : I see dead people. It's no big deal, really._

_Rating : T, swears._

_Characters : Sasuke and Sakura_

_Ghost of You_

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There's a large river behind my house, but it's hidden behind a thicket containing all sorts of wild plantlife. It's normally a lush and green place, but if you looked hard enough, you could see the dirt and secrets the river holds. They aren't hidden too well, but just enough to look like it belonged, to where no one would question it's existence. I haven't the slightest idea how a mess of trees and shurbs planted themselves there or _why _they did, but they were there. It grows untamed by man or by animal, spreading as far and as wide as the trees see fit. Their roots are lodged underneath the banks of the river, absorbing all the water they could ever need. The miniature forest stands as a defense against anything, guarding the river it drinks from with all it's life. A blanket of greens and browns, exactly thirty feet away from my back porch.

It's beautiful, I think. Protecting something that sustains you, that is. I'm not a fan of plantlife, or life of any matter, but that's a different story. I have a respect for anything that shields anything else, though, no matter what it is. The trees are a magnificent fortress, guarding without looking out of place. It creates a beautiful scene, without neglecting it's sole duty.

It's perfect, really.

I take walk to visit the river every so often. I come regularly enough for the trees to recognize me and not attack me, but not often enough to develop a special connection to the muddy banks and thick wood. They're just trees, I have to remind myself. Trees that have no feelings, good nor evil, towards people - towards _me. _I am not favored by the timberland, or by the waters. I am simply a man in their metaphorical eyes, an insignificant part of life. They are the same in mine.

A group of plants sheltering a body of running water.

I used to believe that spirits got lost looking for the way to wherever they're going, and that they're trapped on Earth when they can't decide. Souls of the deceased lingered around the earth for as long as history has been written, but their accounts cannot be documented by them. They're wanderers, I'd like to think, searching for a place to call their own, but having no place in the world they're trapped in.

After meeting her in the heavy woodland, I realize that I was so very wrong.

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My mother says I was cursed with _The Sight, _an ability passed down from her side of the family. They've been blessed with the curse for thousands of years, and never spoke of it to anyone. A hused secret, even in the company of their loved ones. It's another skeleton in the closet, so to speak. Frankly, I do not mind being 'cursed.' It's not a huge deal to me, just another fact of my life. My mother'd been dead for as long as I can remember, but judging by her past actions, I think she let go of every bit ofthis world long before she passed. She was always sort of a wanderer, getting lost in the tiniest things. Nothing passed through her dark eyes that didn't amaze her.

She had a wanderlust, a strong emotional tie to everything that was not in front of her.

Pardon me if I'm being rude. I simply do _not _associate with the living too much to know how to act around them. My name is Sasuke Uchiha, and I am seventeen. I live with my brother, Itachi, in a small town in the Fire Country. I am in high school, like most people my age. I have likes and dislikes, but I do not care enough to share them with you. I have black hair and dark eyes, like my mother and brother.

I can see the spirits of the dead just as easily as the living. It's not a big deal, really, but it plays a big part in this story of mine, if I could call it that. I feel like I shouldn't because it's not entirely _my _story. I'm the one telling it, because _she _cannot. She no longer posses the ability to speak to the living as I can, but I don't think she wants too, anymore. In fact, _I'm _the only living thing she wants to be bothered with. This isn't just my story, it's her's too. _Our _story, if you will.

She's the reason why I ventured into the woods one windy, starless night. The moon hung overhead, staring me down with its' luminance. It was full that night, and glowed yellow with a passion I don't believe I had ever seen. Clouds were scattered about the indigo sky, but none around the moon at all.

I should've known then what happened. All of the signs were there, just like they were every time I ran into another lost one. The usually didn't stick around long enough for me to get to know them, who they _were _and who they _are. _They found their way eventually, leaving me with a fragmented memory.

But I didn't know. I crept out of the house stealthily enough not to wake my brother, but not quietly enough to keep the trees calm. They twisted and turned in the breeze, seeming displeased with my intruding. I didn't know _exactly _where I was going, but I knew I had to go somewhere in the forest. _Something _was calling me, and calling me _loudly._

I followed blindly, only guided by the sound of a sad, but soulful voice. By then, I realized that it was an apirition, a misguided ghost calling my name. I couldn't discern whether or not it was feminine or masculine, but I followed all the same. A spirit in distress would seek me out, and I'd be stuck with it either way. It made much more sense for me to find it first.

At least, I thought it did. I still do.

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I've never met a ghoul so _young _before. I found her curled underneath a canopy of leaves, sheltering the shivering girl from the elements. I was sure the leaves bended around her, silently listening to her pleas, just as I was. The forest had a way of picking and choosing just what it did, and it chose to listen to her today. I was slightly envious, the timber favored someone so much _different _than itself.

But it was the way the universe decided to work that night.

Long, sopping wet hair covered her upper body. Her knees were pressed to her chest and her arms wrapped around her high knees. She kept her face hidden from the elements, and coincidently, me. She was too dark to determine the true color of her hair, but it seemed to be a light purple underneath the dark green hue of the shelter. She was cloaked in a tight dark dress and even darker tights clung to her being.

She was not wearing shoes, but had one white sock on her left foot.

She had the aura of a new soul. It was in the air around her, wafting and circling carelessly around her small, hunched over form. It was in incredible abundance, having just been seperated from the confines of a physical body. It stretched from her place in the forest towards the river itself. I've seen large auras before, but this was outrageous.

I could barely see it in the darkness. It was a deep, murky color and smelled of hazelnuts. I wasn't too familiar with this smell, but I knew I recognized it. Judging by the darkness of the girl crying alone, I'd say it meant that she didn't know that _it _happened.

I was right.

"'Ey," I called, hoping to snap her attention. She lifted her head slowly, and her eyes poured into mine. Wet hair clung to her equally wet face as teary, unhumanly green eyes stared straight ahead. In all my years, I never seen eyes like that. They were a shade of green that made them appear golden, but still distinctly a vibrant green. These eyes shone brightly at me, but were incredibly _empty. _Behind those green iris's was absolutely nothing, and I knew that they were beautiful when she was alive.

When you're alive, your eyes show your soul. They can give away everysecret you've kept close to your core, expose every lie you've ever told, and unleash every demon you're fighting against. Eyes are the gateway to the spirit, and those gates were always open, to me, at least. I've always been able to read people easily, a bit too easily for my liking. That's probably why I don't like the living as much as I _should, _but I can't help it. The dead had a certainway about them. Their soul was bared to you, in the purest form. It held no more lies and secrets, and the only struggle was against itself. Everything is revealed by simply looking at the phantom. Their eyes were expressive, but not hidden and clouded.

I think they are more beautiful this way.

Staring into her eyes, I realized what happened to her, even if she didn't. She was taken from her home, and murdered in the river hidden by the thicket.

The trees didn't do their job.


	4. hunter

_A series of one shots centered around Sasusaku. Updated when inspiration hits. R &amp; R?_

_Summary : It just wasn't her day._

_Hunter _

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Loud sirens were blared loudly as bright blue and red lights blinded the twenty-three year old clerk. She hooded her eyes in slight annoyance, but sighed when she the officers dressed in blue standing in front of her simple wooden door. The locks were all broken and busted, barely clinging to the door frame. Green eyes tried to peer around the heavy door frame into her home, but we blocked by more uniformed men and women, all running in and out of the small abode. She sighed frustratedly and crossed her clothed arms over her small chest.

"Are you Miss Haruno?" a voice came from behind her, but she did not spend energy turning around to face whoever it was. It was slightly bright, but held all seriousness in it, and positively male.

"Is my roommate dead?" she bit back sarcastically. She felt the officer recoil, and sighed inwardly. Slowly, she turned around, short pink hair whipping around her round face. Green eyes were met with bright blue ones. "Look," she began softly, keeping eye contact with him, "I don't mean to be a bitch. Honest. My best friend's _fucking dead _and I can't get into my apartment because her corpse is _bleeding _all over the carpet _she _picked out." Those blue eyes looked at her with pity, and she immediately felt the urge to wretch. If it was one thing she didn't accept, it was pity. She didn't need anyone to feel bad for her, this was something that happened to people all the time.

She just so happened to draw the short straw today.

She spoke again, quickly, "Yes, I'm Sakura Haruno. Yes, Ino Yamanaka is my roommate. I've known her my whole life. _No, _I _don't _know what happened to her.I was at work - a bookshop on twenty-second and Green - until I got the call. She doesn't haveany living relatives, so do you want me to I.D. the body?" The blue eyed man jotted down everything she said, and shook his head slightly at her. It was then she decided to take his overall appearance in. He seemed a head taller than her, with spikey blond hair dusting the top of his tan face. His skin was sunkissed and even, showing small whisker-like marking on his cheeks.

"I'm not really allo–" he began, but was cut off by a pale hand in front his face. Green eyes stared at him almost angriligy, but she held a calm look in her slender physique.

"Let me rephrase that," she began, her eyes closing momentairly, "I _need _to see my best friend." The sentence dripped with desperation and hopelessness, and he hesitated slightly. He hadn't the slightest idea _why _she would be so choked up about something she seemingly was okay with just a moment ago. His eyes trailed over her small form in distrust, but he relented. He made a gesture for her to follow into the small apartment, and she quickly obeyed.

"It was really strange," he admitted, guiding her to the couch. A young blond woman sat upright on the purple piece of furniture, her head loling to the side. Her shiny bangs were pulled back to reveal a twin set of large, gaping holes on her neck. Sakura narrowed her eyes at the scene in front of her. "She suffered from exsa–"

"Haruno Sakura," a chilled voice cut off, staring at the pinkette. She quickly whipped her head to face whoever called her name. She wasn't surprised to find another officer, staring at her with impassive black eyes. She quirked a pink eyebrow at him, a signal for the cold man to continue. "You're wanted for questioning," he said, taking a hold of her elbow.

She didn't protest.

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She sat in the cold chair, staring up at the pale man in front of her. The room was full of bright lights, and did nothing to help her find a flaw in his otherwise perfect features. The air was thick with tension and unannounced accusations. Sensing that it wasbest to get this done and overwith, she sighed softly. "You know," she began, "Ino would've _loved _you," she said cheekily. The man – Officer Sasuke Uchia - scoffed slightly.

"Where were you at four o'clock today?" he asked, not wasting anymore time. The girl looked at him through pink lashes.

"No comment."

"How long have you known Miss Yamanaka?"

"No comment."

"Does she have anybody who'd want her dead?"

"No comment."

"...Are you going to answer at all?" he asked, growing tired of the woman's nonsense. her best friend was lying _dead _on their couch and she wasn't cooperating? It was obvious that she nothing to do with her murder, but it still didn't make sense.

_Something _was very wrong here.

The girl shot him a quzzical look, but said very little. "I said everything I was going to say about _my _whereabouts to the cop you took me from," she said, slightly aggravated. "You're _never _gonna catch who did this."

"Never say never," he said, looking at her with a slightly less cold look. "I'll find whoever did this," he said, his voice attempting to sound reassuring. Comfort wasn't his strong point, but it seemed easy enough.

The girl glared at him slightly. Her green eyes met his, and portrayed something he didn't understand. "This – her murder – has nothing to do with _you," _she hissed, her green-eyed gaze locked on his. His eyes fractionally, and he was taken slightly aback. He didn't understand what this woman was talking about, or how she got to talking about it. She stood up, her hands locking on a large pale purse. "This was a message...to me," she said cryptically, walking to the door.

"Are you in some kind of danger?" the officer asked, his insticts kicking in. His duty was to portect the citizens of this town, and he'd be damned if he didn't try to excel at it. The girl only peered back at him, sliding on a pair of sunglasses.

"It's nothing _you _can save me from, _officer." _She motioned toward the locked door, silently telling him to open it for her.

"I can't release you, yet," he said softly, looking at her with confusion. She suddenly turned very angry.

"Either you open the door or I call my lawyer, dammit!" she snapped, glaring at him. "You and everyone else in this fucking _useless _investigation know that I didn't _do it! _There's _not a damn thing _keeping me here!"

With that, she grabbed the keys that laid on his belt and stormed out of the interrogation room.

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Officer Uchiha had a different agenda for the night. As soon as he went home, he searched the recently deceased name on the internet, and was met with a whopping two thousand entries. He was, however, able to locate the apparently popular twenty-four year old flourist's social meida pages, though some were severely outdated. The first link he clicked on happened to show her FaceRange's page, a home to the millions of pictures that were, undoubtably, Ino Yamanaka.

From the text posts hidden in between the piles of selfies Miss Yamanaka happened to _love, _he saw that she and 'Forehead', who he assumed to be Miss Haruno, were going to buy a cabin in the forest. Sighing softly, the man got in his sleek black car and drove to the nearest thicket he could find.

He would not be getting any sleep tonight.

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She stood a few feet away from the large, ferocious beast. It's yellow eyes narrowed at her in anger and malice, wanting nothing more than to rip the small huntress to pieces. She cam unannounced into _his _territory, demanding answers about a red-headed vampire! Who did this pathetic _mortal _think she was and how _dare _she intrude upon his land?! A beastly black nose took in her heavenly essance, though clouded with the overwhelming stench of the silver she undoubtably carried in her pack. In an instant, she whipped out an arrow and aimed it at his dark, furry throat.

"You _will _tell me where that red headed _bitch _is, wolfe, or I was slay you where you stand!" the petite huntress yelled, a black cloak draped around her choulders and tied with a golden thread. Her hood was not up, leaving her delicate face exposed. Green eyes stared coldly into yellow ones, showing no fear. The beast hadn't made a single move towards her, but crouched onto all fours. His claws dug into the earth beneath him, a sure sign that he was going to charge at the huntress. Growling slightly, she pulled back on her arrow, the metal slightly heavy in her hand. "Make no mistake, beast," she called, readying herself, "you have a _glimmer _of survival. Give me her wearabouts, and you will be spared."

The beast chuckled at the small woman, his breath extending over the soon-to-be battlefield. "Do you not see, child!" he began, condescendingly. His voice was deep and rich, flwoing with confidence. "There can only be _one _survivor tonight, and I have plans tomorrow!" The beast ran towards her, his claws uprooting pieces of the dirt as he moved towards her.

The girl grit her teeth and rolled to the side quickly, moving out of the beast's trail. She readied her arrow and fired after a quick moment. The arrow sailed through the air and landed on the creature's long, fur covered tail. The beast howled in pain, but continued running towards her. She shot two more arrows atthe beast's paws, effectively slowing him down. "Tell me now, wolfe!" she yelled, running towards a crowding of trees. She easily leaped up the tree, using branches as suport before they snapped under the weight of her silver lined boots.

She found a sturdy branch, and stood on it. "This one shall be your head!" she yelled as she fired the silver arrow. It soared through the air swiftly and with intent while she leaned against the trunk of the large tree. With a loud crack, it pierced it's target in the forehead, a millimeter away from it's right eye.

The body quickly disintergrated and turned into golden ashes, lightly dusting against the green ground. She jumped from her tree and landed on the edge of the dust. Shuffling through the mess she'd made, she found very quickly the heart of the monster, a large blue stone that pulsed every second. "It is a key ingredient in summoning spells," she said loudly, turning behind her. When nothing responded to her call, she huffed slightly.

"I know you're there, _Officer Sasuke."_

Slowly, the man came out of his hiding spot in the thicket. He'd come to observe the area, hopefully finding clues that would assist in his investigation, but this was unbelievable. He had no idea what he had just witnessed, but he knew it wasn't something people saw everyday.

Or it might be, considering the friend of the recently deceased seemed at ease. She stood in front of him, offering her bow to the man.

"My name is Haruno Sakura, and I hunt monsters for a living."

"..."

"And you are _waay _out of your league if you still think you can solve Ino's murder."


	5. i want you dead

_A series of one shots centered around Sasusaku. Updated when inspiration hits. R &amp; R?_

_Summary : "You'd think after spending an eternity together, you'd learn to be more friendly."_

_I Want You Dead_

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There's a heavy silence in the air when your roommate, to some degree, steps into your liar. The spellbooks are incredibly dusty and your cauldron is going to boil over, and you do pay attention to it because the tension between you two is thick enough to be sliced. He says nothing, but takes a staggering step towards you, his black hair falling into his charcoal eyes. Before, you'd take a step back, give him space and room to do whatever he pleased, but now you no longer have the time or paitence to do so.

The blood moon is coming shortly, and you must prepare for it.

You turn your back on his pale, unreadable feautires, and clean the mess that your bubbling, black and pink pot has created. There's white steam coming out of the purple brew and you sigh softly, pink hair falling from it's ponytail and into your green eyes. A few wispy strands mix in with the blend and turn the mix a disgusting hue of yellow. It seems to breathe as each large bubble pops, making a soft screeching sound.

You take note and quickly rush to get your notebook, another failure has turned into something you may be able to use in the future. Glancing back at the brooding man int he corner of the room, you decide that you may use this _sooner _than _later. _Black heels click softly on the floor and when you reach for your _Big Book of Potions, _there's a sword coming out of your midsection. You never felt the piece of metal, _which you crafted for the ingrate,_ enter you, and you still don't feel it now. Your eyes glow a brilliant hue of golden before you fall to the floor, a pool of red sticking to your lab coat.

You swear vengence on the man before you disappear into nothing but your namesake flower, a bright pink cherry blossom. Although you cannot see what's going on in the world around you, you don't miss the feelingof his hands picking you up, carassing your petals.

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You regenerate shortly, leaving a petal stuck to the ground where he cut you at, He looks at you with a bored expression in his eyes, clearly unamused by your reawakening. He's taken the liberty to lie in your room, and placed you on the bed beside him. You sigh softly, and exchange your bloody lab coat for a clean apron. "You'd think after spending an eternity together, you'd learn to be more friendly, Sasuke," you say, pulling your loose hair in a tight ponytail. There's no time to look cute, you've decided. There's too much to be done and not enough space to do it.

"I want my freedom, _Sa-ku-ra," _he says, his voice as silky as satin. He stills says your name the same way he did a hundred years ago, cold, but not as chilly as ice. His features stayed the same throughout the years you've known him, and you know that there is no other alternative. He looks at you with a smoldering gaze, one clouded from years and years of bonding, albeit due to himbeing forced to stay by you side. He knows you well by now, and he knows he's asking an impossible task from you. Even the most powerful witch in the world couldn't sever the link between you, him, and the elusive fox demon without any trace of the fox demon.

You chuckle at him, and pat down a spike jutting out from his hair. "And stabbing me was the appropriate way to ask?" you say teasingly.

"T'was the only way," he replies, gasping you by the waist. He pulls you back onto the bed and keeps you there for a moment, inhaling your scent. "I won't miss you, Witch," he breathes in your ear, sending chills down your recently constructed body. You sigh softly and relax in his grasp.

"You're never going to leave if I'm alive," you point out, kissing his hand slightly. You do not know what people would label your relationship, but you know it's somehing completely unorthodox. Your mother would knock you into the past if she were alive to see you messing with this _traitor, _and you kow his brother would be pleasantly delighted that his otōto found a pretty flower to spend his time with.

"That's why I keep trying to kill you," he mutters darkly, placing butterfly kisses on your face.

"What about—"

"I'll kill him too," he says, a little _too _easily. You begin to shift in his hold, but he pins you down. A quick kiss to your lips settles you.

"Be happy Death doesn't like any of us," you say stroking his face softly. He groans in compliance and lets you move from his grasp.

You have no time for romance, and no time for murderous ghouls, but he is _never _leaving.


	6. before

_A series of one shots centered around Sasusaku. Updated when inspiration hits. R &amp; R?_

_Summary : It was just one of those lazy days._

_Before_

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"It feels like forever ago since I've gotten my nails done," the blonde female sighed, staring at her bloodsoaked hand. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, coming down to her waist. Baby blue eyes held fast to the floor, not breaking eye contact. Her clothes were dirty and she knew that she smelled positively awful, but she wore a firm, bright smile on her lips. Her legs crossed over one another, folding themselves up to be as small as they could possibly be. She took up little room, but her domineering personality warned everyone in the small room around her not to get to close. Ever the queen and newly appointed optimist of their small band of mavericks, Yamanaka Ino pushed herself to never stop smiling, even when there was nothing to smile about. Really, you have nothing if you don't have a smile, she always believed. "Seriously Forehead, Hina, my nail beds suck."

A dry laugh folowed the last comment and a younger girl sat on a countertop acrooss from her. She sat with her long legs hanging, her small, calloused ahnds holding up her torso. Pink hair tumbled to her shoulder in light waves, cascading nothing short of a pink waterfall. Her green eyes lit up the tiny kitchenette, making the ever disposable place feel just home, even if it was just for a little bit. "That's because it _has _been forever, Pig," she said, her voice rolling off the tongue like butter. In this group, she was the realist. She knew the ins and out of the human body, and was unafraid of the reanimated corpses staggering towards them. She'd aim her gun and shoot without fliching, because that's what she had to do if she wanted to live. Sakura Haruno wasn't too sure on the living thing, but she knew she didn't want to turn out like _them._

"Oh hush, Forehead!" Ino huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. A relatively silent girl chuckled to herself in a corner, a faint blush crossing over her pale features. Her hair was long and indigo, coming to a stop at her waist. She had bangs that came down to her bright, white eyes and a face as white as snow. She was the shortest member of the group, coming up at five-foot-two. She spoke very little, choosing to observe her relatively new friends. She'd always been a quiet girl, but now she's drawn moreso into herself than anything. Poor Hinata couldn't help it. She'd grew up completely sheltered from the outside world, until the outside world collasped around the glass bubble she grew accoustumed to living in. Now, she was thrust into the world, without knowing a single thing about it,almost akin to a newborn being given to a pack of wolves.

A man lazily strod into the kitchette and sat on the stove, looking at the women with mild amusement. Shikamaru was a simple man, but was well aware of what happened. When the world went to hell, he was the first one to run for cover. He tried to do the practical thing and keep himself alive, but that didn't work out when he met a group of people who practically _begged _him to stay. These people, he soon realized, were _insane. _They had little to no survival skills, save for the pale boy who only spoke iin single worded sentences, couldn't take care of themselves - but knew a pink haired medic who had no problem patching wounds - and were not compatable at _all. _Somehow, this diasterous group that was doomed to fail became his family - the only one he had left. So the lazy boy would silently cherish them, watching them with a hidden smile. "You girls are so _troublesome," _he said, his voice drifting off.

"And you're sitting where _I _cook," the blond shot back, staring the man down.

"What are you, a maid?" Sakura jibed, poking fun at the blond's expense. The girl gasped slighty, holding a dirty hand to her face.

"No!" she deadpanned, glaring at the rosette playfully. "I ran a flower shop," she corrected, flipping her bang away from her face.

"Called Maids With Flowers," added Hinata, laughing slightly. It wasn't often when she teased anyone, but she couldn't help herself. Something about these humans she was with made her want to expose herself more.

"You dirty traitor!" Ino accused, pointing her finger at the girl. "_Actually, _it was called Yamanaka's. What did _you _do, Miss Trades-Alot?" she asked, staring at the girl with white eyes.

She hesistated, but answered slowly. "I-I was an h-heiress," she replied truthfully, a blush coming over her face. Sakura's jaw dropped to the floor.

_"No fucking way," _she said, tossing a lock of pink hair over her shoulder. "What's your last name," she questioned, her bright green eyes laced with skeptism. It was her nature to question things, as nothing could be proven beyond a doubt. They were holed up in a shitty apartment with _seven people _because fucking _zombies _happened.

"Hyuuga," she said solemnly. Ino insantly gaped at the girl while Sakura shot her a polite, but blank look. She hadn't the slightest clue _who _the Hyuugas were, but she could tell that Ino did. Shikamaru seemed to recognize them too, as he had a small smile onm his face. "My mom was a big fashion label overseas," she said, trailing off a bit. A blush came over her and she bent her head down, trying to cocoon herself in a small, inpenatrable bubble.

Two large hands swept over her almost concealed eyes, and refused to move. A small, furry creature brushed over her feet, and Hinata wasn't so sure whether or not it was something she wanted to see scurrying around her temporary home. It wan't the cleanest of places, but she hasn't walked out of her shell enough to explore the place yet. Maybe one day she would, if they were still there, but she would _not _be creeping around the place with so many people around just yet. "Why's Princess so flustered?" a voice boomed from above her head, showing her who it was.

"She's actually a princess. Better show some respect, Kiba," Sakura said, hopping down from the counter. She leaned against the wall of the kitchen, crossing her arms smilghtly.

"Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Sak?" Kiba said, taking his hands off her eyes. He looked at the smaller girl who's face had become cousin to a tomato. He quirked an eyebrow up at her, and she gave a small, nervous laugh. "She's serious, Hina?" he asked, not believing what he was hearing.

The girl fiddled with her hands slightly. "N-not technically," she sputtered, her white eyes locked on the ground, "But I was heiress to Hyuuga Designs." She searched the older guys face for something, and was met with a bright smile reflecting in his warm eyes. Slowly, she sent the beam right back.

"Well, damn. That's a helluvalot than what I was doin'," he said, ruffling the hair on the top of her head. The whole group laughed, but Hinata hid behind her hands.

"I - It's not a compettition," she said. Seeing his still laughing expression, she quickly pushed, "What were you doing before the virus hit?" Her face was incredibly red, but still she continued, "Ino ran a flower shop." All eyes shifted towards the blond on the floor, twirling a piece of dirty blond hair. She flashed a quick look confirming this, but said nothing. The boy took Sakura's seat on the countertop, putting his hands behind his head.

"If you really wanna know," he began, drawing out his statement, "I sang in a halfway shitty band." The group looked at him with puzzeled faces, btu he only leaned back and smirked winningly.

"Because you couldn't get a real job?" Shikamaru jibed, laughing at him. Ino burst into a fit of giggles while Hinata practically _died _of embarassment. Sakura, on the ther hand, let out a soft chuckle before looking towards the door. A lone figure strode past, clad in navy blue and black. Dark, obsidian eyes locked with her bright olive ones, and she swears that he's making her feel more at ease than she's ever been.

The days have not been kind to Sakura since the end began. She was a medical student, one upon a time. A few months shy of getting her Bachelor's Degree from Sunagakura, the best medical school she could afford to go to. She wanted to be a doctor, to save lives and give the dying another chance to live. She wanted to be a savior, of some sorts. A symbol of hope when so few had any.

It's ironic, she thinks as she watches her new roommates goof off in the cramped kitchen, that she wanted to give people hope when she had none herself. Once upon a time, she did. She had more hope in her baby finger than most people had in their entire bodies. She was all pink hair and smiles, always willing to inspire someone around her, to be the sunshine when it was raining. Somehow, in her naive little mind, she was convinced that she would never change. That no matter what, Sakura Haruno would never lose faith in the world — herself. Sakura follishly belived, like a little kid, that she would someday blossom into something great, like her namesake.

She, like her namesake, died a little too early. She was so close to the finish line when everything went to complete and total _shit. _That's what this world was — shit. There was no other word to describe just how disaterous the world had turned out. Not hell, for surely death would be twice as merciful than this. It - The monsters stalking around in the halls and in the streets were far too real to be considered nightmares, that she had experinced firsthand. She was living in a shithole made of fears from her worst nightmares taht were just far too real.

_Everything was so wrong._

Slowly, she made her way out of the kitchen and into the spacious living room, where she saw the first happy face since the start of the end. A blond boy, only a few months older than her, was resting on the couch, his face buried in a pillow as to not disturb the fellow people around him. So far, he's been the only beacon of hope she could find in the shitty world she's grown accustomed to. When her dreams became nightmares and her nightmares tried to taste her, she refused to believe inanything anymore. Sakura grew up too fast and too hard, but it was what she needed to do to survive, she supposed. If she wanted to live, she needed to think on her feet and apply all of herself to thinking and thinking alone. Calculating and concocting, she became someone she didn't recognize in the mirror.

She became a survivor, seeing the world through black and white lenses.

And _damn _if she had another dream of pretty pale boys with onyx eyes in black and white she was going to drive herself insane.

(If she wasn't already.)

(Which she might be.)

* * *

She's found said pretty boy lounging back in the bathroom, lighting up a cigarette he didn't know he had. He leaned his head against the door, not bothering to closse it and inhaled sharply at the sight of 'd followed him so silently, he hadn't known she was there. It was slightly humiliating, not noticing someone who reeked of brightness and rainbows trailing behind him, but he didn't mind too much.

He didn't mind anything much anymore, he'd realized. Nothing was permenant, he reasined with himself, so nothing mattered. If there was no concrete, there was no where to stand. So he never stayed anywhere for too long anymore. He'd drift from place to place, wandering here and there. As long as he could, he'd try to defend himself, but he didn't care if they got him or not at this point.

The result was the same anyway.

It never has a happy ending, he thinks as the bright girl moves closer towards him. At the end of the zombie movie, the hero dies and the zombies win. The hero never has a happy ending. The pretty girl dies, his best friend sacrifices himself, and there is no such thing as happiness when you're _alone._ As much as the fighter in Sasuke wanted to make his way out of this mess, he knew that there was no such thing as _out._ That he was stuck in this mess until the day he died. There was no point in fighting this battle against what used to be people and there was no point in staying with strangers.

But somehow, he found himself staying in a shabby apartment with people he barely knew for almost a month now. There was a blond idiot, who made him angry and practically dropped his IQ, but Sasuke knew that the idiot was someone he couldn't lose, and he wouldn't. He was an idiot, but he knew how to take care of himself. There was a shallow girl who never stopped smiling, but she wuld always have someone around to take care of her. Another girl who was too shy to even step out and face the would be cannibles. As long as she didn't starve herself to death, she'd be fine. Kiba, he learned his name first, lived like he was going to die the next day, and has been since he was seven. He planned for the apocolypse before it happened, and according to him, this was part of the plan. There was a boy who was too smart for his own good. He was a genius, to say the least, and if he didn't survive then they'd all be _fucked._

And then there was _her. _He hadn't had her all figured out like he did the others. She kept her secrets close to her chest, locked inside a safe without a key. It was only a matter of time before she broke and shattered on the ground outside, but he would be too enthralled watching the bits of her crack and splinter so beautifully to notice that something was wrong. She was a distraction, green eyes and all. A beautifully destructive distraction that plagued him from seeing anything further than her and her pretty green eyes. She was an enigma, something strange and unique in the world.

She was doomed from the start.

Everyone knows the pretty girls who keep secrets die sooner or later, and that it's best not to form bonds with them, because you're always left in their wake after they leave. You're left heartbroken when their heart no longer beats for you. Sasuke knows that if he lets himself get too attatched to the mystery girl that he's only going to seal hs fate as one of the lonely; the hero in this fucked up movie because _she _would not make it to the sequel. And if she didn't make it, then no one did.

Especially not him.

So he was determined not to grow accustomed to pretty green eyes blinking at him so innocently, as if nothing was wrong with the world. He was focused on not becoming a slave to the stereotype, a victim to her curse. He would be his own person and lived his life as he so pleased, and _died _when he so pleased. He would be concrete, not bending to fit her in the stone with him.

"Cigarettes kill, Sasuke," she said, looking at the thing was slight distaste.

With that, his resolve went out of the window. He found himself staring at her pretty green eyes, unable to say a word to her. Those green eyes told him that she had come back there for more than that, but he would have to wait to see. "Zombies kill too," he said, though he didn't remember his mouth opening. She smiled at him softly, before reaching for the burning thing in his mouth.

"That's why we avoid them," she said, before throwing the small stick into the toilet and flushing it, sending it down the drain and out of their apartment.

"Why?" he asked her, meaning the cigarette. She seemed not to pick up on it.

"Because I don't want to die," she said softly, her eyes not meeting his. He said nothing, but didn't make an attempt to leave. She didn't either, but opted to sit on the edge of the small tub, looking at him with bright green eyes that never felt more raw.

"You came back here to tell me about you?" he said, sitting besides her. He used his foot to close the door slightly, offering an ear to her. The girl looked at him with a small smile before her pinkhair bounced softly.

"I was a medic," she began, her eyes downcast, "A college student. I almost made it, too. I was smart enough to go all the way, Sasuke. I had really steady..." she trailed off, looking at him, a sad smile on her face, "hands." His eyes shot downwards, looking at her hands. They were wringing around, rubbing with a vigor he didn't know that she possessed. "It starts as a virus. A fever," she said, looking at him. Her hands rubbed each other forcefully, not letting up. "Soon enough you can't feel your toes. The heart shuts down and you're left lying on a table until you get back up and attack the nearest person," she spoke quickly, tears brimming in her eyes. Her eyes darted to her hands and she sighed in frustration, before getting up to wash her hands.

"...I shot my aunt in the face," she said, looking at him. Her hands trembled under the cold faucet water but she kept washing. "I can still see her blood on my hands."

Sasuke swore to himself that he wouldn't get attatched to pretty girls that die in the end of the horror films because that could end him, and he couldn't live with himself if he let someone else end him.

So he relented, and placed a hand on the small of her back. Her green eyes stared back at him, wet tears dripping down her face. "I don't -" she began, sobs clouding her throat. She tries to clear her mind out so that she can get her words before she loses them — her chance, but all she sees is her aunt's blood on her hands and lifeless honey eyes staring back at her. "I don't wanna die, Sasuke," she said in a whispered voice, barely able to speak.

He pressed his lips to hers, drinking her and all her mystery in. "So you won't."


	7. afterlife I

_Summary : He thought he'd never see her again. _

Into The Fray

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At age twenty-three, Monsieur Sasuke Uchiha felt dissatisfied with the life he pursued. He was sick and alone, plagued with nightmares of accepting green eyes and dirty pink hair. She's always dirty and his hands are covered in her blood, though he was not the one to aim the musket at her chest. She'll smile at him, and tell him that he's worth more than she'll ever be, and that she doesn't feel a thing as long as he is with her. In his nightmares, he sees her laughing, laughing so hard that tears spill out of her shimmering green eyes and he cannot tell the difference between her laughs and his heart breaking. She closes her eyes and whispers a confession, before falling limp against his body.

In his nightmares, his best friend took a bullet meant for him and dies in his arms. He does not tell her that he loves her. He does not tell her that she means the world and the stars to him. He does not tell her that the only reason he was fighting the battle was to make sure that this _didn't _happen. No, Monsieur Sasuke doesn't tell her any of these truths. He keeps them close to his chest, and doesn't speak a word of them for the following three years. He never told _her, _so he will never tell anyone. They are his secrets and will remain secrets until he passes on into the afterlife.

Maybe then, he will still keep them as secrets.

No, he doesn't tell her any of this in his nightmares. His nightmares were mere recollections of the bloody revolution he'd fought in three years prior, the battle to liberate Paris's poor from oppression of the rich and haughty. As we all know, history is written by the winners of the battles, and they labelled the revolution as a 'rebellion' signifying that the bloody battle, was a lost one. He'd lost many people prior to the battle, and many friends during the battle, but she was the one person he swore to protect. He _promised _her that she would live, that she would have the freedom she needed to blossom into the beautiful tree she was born to be.

He promised her a tomorrow.

That tomorrow never came.

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On July 14, 1835, he spotted a young woman dancing outside his window. The air was cold and rain poured down on her small form, but she danced beautifully, her bare feet entangling with the brown mud. She was cloaked in an unearthly silver light, becoming brighter and brighter every second she spent outside. She spun herself around a few times before laughing happily, sending herself into a spiral of circles. She sloshed around in the dirt, marring her already dirty clothes with more and more layers of dirt. The once white shorts were unrecognizeable, and her cream shirt was only half as prestine as it could've been. The brown jacket she wore was in tatters, but seemed almost clean. Long hair whipped around her small form, cocooning herself in a blur of silvers and pinks.

"It couldn't possibly..." Sasuke said, trailing after her. He quickly ran out of his house and into the garden, where she lie, staring at the trees behind his estate. He was out of breath, so he remained silent. She, on the other hand, seemed slightly amazed. A bright smile stretched across her face, her white teeth shining softly in her radiant light.

"You did _all _this for me, Monsieur Sasuke?" she asked incredulously. Green eyes locked with his onyx ones and for the first time in three years, he smiled. He smiled at this poor French girl, who lost her life so long ago. Her pink hair fell down her back, and her face was clean of any smudges. The dirt and grime that once known her most intimate parts were nonexistent. The blood that once dripped down her chin and stained her heart was completely gone. She looked as if she'd been reborn, this time as a bourgeoisie instead of the peasant she'd once been. She gave him a small smile, tears forming in the corners of her green eyes. "It's beautiful, Sasuke," she said softly, pulling herself closer towards him.

He reached out to touch her light, finding skin that was smoother and softer than he remembered. It was solid and firm, letting him know that someting was really _wrong _with this scene. "How can this be..?" he said, looking at her. Quickly, he pulled her into a hug and took in her scent. She still smelled of blood and bread, a scent he never went a day without missing. "You...Sakura..you.." he said, unable to find the words.

"Died? Yes, Monsieur. I suppose that is what happened," she said, her eyes twinkling. She grabbed his hand, and led him onwards into the garden. As she got near, his own light grew brighter, becoming silver as well. She smiled at him, but he withdrew hisbhand from hers. "What's wrong, Monsieur Sasuke?" she asked, her eyes wide with confusion. She could see the flicker of hesistency is his eyes and smiled at him softly. She grabbed his hand again, and gave a reassuring squeeze. "It's bad, Sasuke," she said, "It's kinda like being alive again, but we're actually free now. You're free to be whatever you want to be, Sasuke," she said, her voice in a near whisper.

Suddenly, he pulled her close, holding her small frame tight against his. "I want to be with you," he murmured against her hair, planting a small kiss atop it. She pulled away slightly, only to place her lips on his.

"Then so shall it be, Monsieur."


	8. outside

_Summary : It was really a beautiful night._  
_Notes : Continuation of chapter 1, pirate!verse_

Overhead

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First mate Sasuke caught a glimpse of the girl outside of her cabin on the ship, leaning over the bow of the ship. The moon radoated in white rays, striking Sakura's small form in all directions, making her appear more angelic than human. Her pink hair seemed lilac in the darkness of the night, and her pale skin practically glowed under the shine of the stars. Her face was tilted up towards the sky, basking in the glory of the night. She'd only been on the ship for four hours, she estimated, but she could feel the weight of the world disappear with the shoreline of Sunagakure. A small smile stretched across her delicate feautures and she sighed, resting her head against her hands. She adverted her eyes from the beautifully dark sky to the even darker mass of sea, only seeing rolling waves lapping at the sides of the massive ship. They were a mix of black, topped with white foam. She's seen the sea through a dirty porthole for almost every night for as long as she could remember, but she doesn't recall it being so beautiful.

Maybe it's because her hands weren't bound together with coarse rope, she thought, looking at her wrist. The pale piece of flesh was still red and raw from having the rope removed mere hours before, but she was content. She could see the marred, probably scarred piece of skin, and that was more than enough. She was no longer bound to _them —_ bound to her personal hell. The only person Sakura was bound to was _herself _now, and that was the best feeling she could ever hope to feel.

She was free now.

It was like a dream, only real.

She was still dressed in the very revealing outfit, and the salty sea air nipped at her sides and stomach, but she refused to go inside. She was never permitted on the deck, for fear that she would jump into the void, and she would not let this chance pass her by. She would stand outside all night, even if she froze to death. To die a free woman would be a most gracious death, she thought, her grin wide. Her feet were bare against the wooden floor, but she made no noise tip-toeing across the deck as quiet as a mouse, a trick she learned after years with her dance company. Her shorts stuck to her like a second skin, letting air pass through them with little restriction.

The night was truly unforgiving place, but she would not have it any other way. It was the eve of tommorow, the dawn of a new beginning. She wanted to bear witness to the start of a new day, the start of the rest of her life. She was apart of Cap'n Uzumaki's crew now, under the title 'Navigator', for she knew her way around the world, having traveled the globe so many times. The stars would be her guide, and be a witness to her new existence. They would watch her reformation, her transformation.

She would no longer be Haruno Sakura, the bright performer. That life was gone with the wind. She'd traded her clear slippers for sails, and the applause for crashing waves. She was now Navigator Sakura, and she would be until she was no more. This was her life, and this was her story. Another chapter in a never ending book.

She tossed her head back and laughed, a loud, bubbly laugh that she didn't know she was capable of. She laughed until her sides ached with exhaustion and tears mixed in with the salty air. She doubled over, clutching her stomach, not minding the scars that were surely becoming more and more visible in the muggy air.

Freedom feels good, she decided, staring out into the waters.

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She's been outside for hours, and this was not a smart decision. The air was cooler along the water and the wind was picking up every minute. Judging by the stars, who'd never lead her astray, they were drifting north, towards Yukigakure, known for being notoriously cold. If she continued to stay outside, she'd surely freeze. She'd run inside and grab a coat, but she abandoned all her belongings when she escaped. For a moment, Sakura contemplated running back inside her cabin, but quickly shut the idea out of her mind. This was a momentous event for her, and she was _not _going to miss this. She wanted to watch dawn arise as a new woman; let herself be reborn in the sun's glory. She was killing a wretched piece of her past, and it needed to freeze to death here, on the massive pirate vessel she was floating on.

It would die with the waking sun, even if she died as well.

She shivered in the night, feeling her skin form prickles despite her white hot resloution bubbling in her chest. Her teeth chattered against her will and she sighed, seeing her breath condense in the air. "Annoying," she heard someone muuter, and she snapped her head up, seeing the pale man who helped rescue her. Quickly, he draped a blanket over her shoulders, and gently pushed her down so she was sitting. He sat next to her, and put a shiny metal object in front of her. He unscrewed the cap, revealing a drink foreign to her.

She stared at it for a few moments, but dared not to taste it. "What?" he asked, "It'll keep you warm." Apprehensively, she took the liquid and bought it to her nose. She identified the smell immediately. She shoved it back into his hands rapidly.

"I've never drank anything like _that _before," she said quietly. She looked at him softly, a small smile on her lips. "Thank you, though."

"Hn," was his response.

"I don't believe I caught your name, sir," she said softly, trying to make conversation. He looked at her through his bangs and sighed, moving under the blanket with her.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"I can't recall my last name, but my first is Sakura," she said softly. When he didn't respond, she continued. "I can't remember having a real family...I've always been dancing and traveling. I didn't mind it, at first. I had fun, believe it or not. I loved the lights and the colors," she said, her eyes turning dreamy, "the costumes and the crowds. Dance used to be my life, Sasuke-san. I loved everything about it..." She continued talking until the wee hours of the morning, and fell asleep on the man's shoulder before watching the sunrise.

She didn't mind, though. Waking up next to him was something close to watching her new life begin.


	9. witch

_Summary : She shouldn't have made it past his receptionist_

Witch

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The woman strolled her way into the office, her black heels _click-click-clicking_ with every step. The black pencil skirt she wore was uncomfortable and the white shirt was too bright for her tastes, but she sucked it up and walked in gracefully, black sunglasses resting at the bridge on her nose. Her pink hair was in an messy up-do, being held together by a red piece of fabric she'd picked up at the last minute. She wore no make up, but her lips were plump and pink and she spoke effortlessly to strangers on the street, all enchanted by the _click-click-click _of her heels and the _sweetsweetsweet _sound of her voice.

No one seemed to notice the bright, dangerous eyes and vermillion fur peeking out from the top of her large, black purse. The small beast stirred inside, whining helplessly as it was carried from place to place. Every so often, she'd reach down and stroke it oh so gently, and it would remain calm for a while longer. She muttered kind words to him in a language so foreign, the world around them seemed to have forgotten about.

But that was okay.

Time seemed to have a way to make everything disappear.

With that thought in her mind, she pushed past the clear doors with the fan emblem on them and walked inside the _bigbigbig _building and made her way to the first counter she laid her eyes on. There's a woman sitting behind it, with fire hair and bloody eyes. Brown glasses tilted down, she nstares at the rosette before drawling out, so very boredly, "Can I help you?" She's all frowns and not _sweetsweetsweet _so the woman doesn't like her already. The red woman stares at the moving purse and sighs so deeply, you'd think she was _sleepysleepysleepy. _She gives her a crooked, burning stare and opens her thin _crimsonredwine_ lips. "There's no pets allowed in here, _miss," _she says so venomously, the acid lands on her hand.

The woman smiles at her brightly and uses her _sweetkind _voice, saying, "You _must _make an exception. Naruto's so very _special _to me, dear." She flashes her another bright smile, and the animal, upon hearing his master's call, pokes his head fully out of his makeshift vehicle. Wide, bright, cherry eyes bleed into a pair equally as scarlet, and he cocks his head to the side, his large ears falling on top of one another.

The receptionist sneers at the pet bitterly. _"It's _against policy," she _hi-hi-hissed _at the woman. Those ruby eyes stare down the pet, who only stares back at her with mild curiosity. When the woman sets her purse on the counter, the animal hopped out of it's container, revealing four little legs and _onetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnine _tails, swirling about without a care in the world. The woman behind the counter gasped slightly, but made no more sounds. She began to shake uncontrollably, her _cherrywineruby _lips widening in shock and awe.

"He's cute, no?" the woman asked, putting her glasses in her bubblegum hair. Long, thin fingers grasped the woman chin and tilted it up, to look her in the _greengreengreen _eyes. With a devious smirk, one she'd picked up in her travels through time, her _jadegreenolive _eyes flashed a bright, blinding gold, sendignthe receptionist in a colorful daze. The woman cocked her head to the side, and watched as the receptionist did the same. "Now, dearie," she spoke _kindlysweetlynicely, _"you're going to make an exception for Naruto, right?"

The _poordefenselesstrapped _woman answered back tiredly, "For Naruto." The pinkette signed contently, letting her hand drop from the woman's face. Pink lips quirked themselves into a bright smile when a trail of _redbloodlifewater _trailed down the red woman's mouth.

"Good job, honey!" she said, _squ-squ-squeezing _her cheeks a little too tightly. "Where is Sasuke Uchiha at now?" she asked politely, her eyes still a blinding gold. The receptionist started to sway softly, feeling _faintfaintfaint _under those _prettyprettypretty _eyes. "Stay up," the woman ordered harshly, contrasting against her _softsoftsoft _looks. The woman looked at her drowsily, but answered her.

"Seventh floor," was all she spoke before she collasped on the desk, _rubycherryscarlet _blood pooling around her _winecarminevermillion _hair. The pinkette smiled at her softly, ruffling her long, _redreddead _hair. Picking up Naruto, she breathed into his fur.

"She was cute, nee?"

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"Oh Sasuke-kun," the woman said, propping herself onto his desk, "I'm so very glad I found you!" She looked at him with her bright _greengreengreen _eyes and smiled at him with _pinkpinkpink _lips and that _pinkpinkpink _hair. She let Naruto wander about the office, but he chose to remain by her _sweetsoftwarm _side. She kicked her black heels off and let down her hair, sighing in relief as the tresses dropped from their high prison. They fell in loose strings down her back, leaving her back _pinkpinkpink._ The man in front of her was not nearly as delighted to see her lounging in his office.

"Sakura," he said gruffly, giving her the once over, "who are _you_ to show up at _my work _unannounced?" Her green eyes flashed angriliy at him, but she remain composed. For her line of work, if she could call it that, she needed to keep herself calm and cool at all times, especially in front of _him. _So Sakura would swallow her pride for now, and act in this play Sasuke-kun had set up without her permission. Quietly, she hopped off the desk, but began to unzip her skirt.

"How you wound me!" she said, her voice filled with mock sadness. She gave a quick glance to the pale man, who was watching her with sharp eyes. She giggled to herself, and gave him a quick wink wih _greengreengreen _eyes. "I never knew you to be a pervert, Sasu-kun," she said teasingly, her voice sickingly sweet.

His _onyxblacknearlybrown _eyes narrowed at her, and his fist clenched around itself. "I know _you_ to be a _trickster," _he shot back, his eyes still watching her. The air in the room was hot, but neither of them mentioned anything as she slid the skirt down her legs, revealing creamy legs and red shorts. She threw off the white blouse, revealing a black corset with black ribbons tried in intricate bows on the back. She whipped her head around and met the man staring back at her, his face lazily meeting hers. She walked over to his desk and sat down on it, pressing herself in between a pile of folders and a desk lamp. "If you wanted to see more," she said huskily, "you'd have to buy me dinner first."

Throughly annoyed, he shot a glare her way. "What do you want, _witch?" _he asked, his voice clear of any emotion. He wanted to let her know that her teasing was _over _and they needed to get to the point, and do it _now. _The nine-tailed fox sent him a growl, but huffed and looked away. "Why is Naruto in his fox form?" he asked, not used to seeing what he once would've called his best friend stuck in such a dimutive shape.

"Someone is trying to take my throne, Sasu-kun," she said, using her old nickname for him. He flinched at hearing it, but said nothing more. She motioned for her familiar to come to her, and he did, making his way towards her lap. "They've already _demolished _your clan's temples," she said, her _emeraldjadeolive _eyes locking with his, securing his attention, "and stolen Naruto's chakra." She let her head drop down the red fox, currently trying to nestle his way in between her thighs. She lightly tapped him, sending a bolt through his small body. "You will _stop it," _she hissed at him.

"Shame," Sasuke said, grabbing her attention back. "You're left in charge and can't defend your own land." She growled at him slightly.

"I need help, Sasuke —"

"Obviously."

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer to her, three inches seperating their faces. Green eyes bled gold and she let out a growl of irritation. Her fist glowed black, undoubtably because of the potent dark magic flowing through her veins, and Sakura spoke as clearly as she could. "You will help me get the dojutsu's," she declared, letting him go. She stood up and twirled in a few circles, a black skirt appearing around her legs as she did so.

"Why would I do such a thing, _Sa-ku-ra?" _he asked, leaning back in his chair, giving her a wicked smirk.

She shot him the same smirk back. He was the one to teach it to her, so it was only natural that he'd see it redirected at him. _"Because _Uchiha-san," she began, marching towards his desk. She picked up a sheet of paper and blew on his, her breath coming out as black and purple. "I caught that little _rat _stealing _my _sword. It'd be a shame if he were...executed," she said pointing towards the picture. "It'd be a real pity, I'd always liked 'Tachi-san," she said, sealing the deal with gold eyes.


	10. gym teachers

_Summary : Gym teachers are evil._

_Gym Teachers_

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_Dear Diary,_

I've never liked gym class. Like never. Everyone's so sweaty around you, I'm no good at any sports, and the locker room smells like sweat and _pancakes. _What in the _hell _would make the locker room smell like pancakes, but I'm not too keen on finding out. I'd hate to look in my gym locker and find a half eaten stack of hot cakes, but I'm anticipating it. Seriously. How esle would a cement box of hot, _sweaty_ girls smell like pancakes? That's all the locker room is, a _friggin' cement box _filled to the brim with people who want to be _anywhere _else.

It's torture.

The supervisor hasn't the slightest clue of what's going on, and frankly it doesn't seem like they care too much, as long as we get into our uniforms and _sweat. _All they want to do is see you sweat, you know that? They don't care if you're _sick _or _dying _or _on your period, _as long as you sweat. They want you to sweat buckets and buckets of water and salt and anything else that comes out with sweat. They don't understand, what if I _need _all that fluid? It's in my body for a reason, Mr. Gym Teacher, and I don't think it's fair you want it all over my face.

And that is cruel and unusual.

The worst part of it all are the _tests! _Out of all subjects, why would we _ever _need to know how many halfs in a game of water polo? Having tests in gym makes no sense at _all._ If all we're going to do in the class is run around and climbing ropes, I don't think there's any need for a test.

It's a fact, gym teachers are evil.

Literally.

I'm being completely serious right now. Gym teachers are _evil. All _of them are. I have the scars to prove it! My gym teachers tried to kill me just yesterday. They were all sputtering nonsense about my mom being some kind of _fairy _or something, but that can't be real because fairies don't exist. All of them became so convinced that I was some kind of mythical being that they tried to stab me with some weird blade. I've got a scar under my right eye because of that damned It's all nonsense, I think.

Or at least I used too.

Besides, my mom died when I was three. I don't remember much about her, but I know she had these bright green eyes. They seemed unnatural, but I never questioned them. Instead, I'd look into them, forever and forever. When I close my own green eyes, I still see hers. My dad left me when I was seven, and I remember everything about him. He used to be so warm, until she died. Then, he just shut me out. He never looked me in the eye after that. I can't say why, but I get the feeling that it had nothing to do with me.

Sasuke thinks so, too. Sasuke's been my best friend since I can remember, and he's been the one taking care of my since my dad walked out on me. He's never left my side since. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a crush on him, but I tried to keep everything as friendly as possible. He's never had to ask me if I needed anything, he always just _knew._

And for that, I'm grateful.

Diary, remember when I told you that I used to think that fairies didn't exist? Well, the thing that's changed my mind are the heavy green wings fluttering against my back as I write this.

Yeah...they might have been right.

_Damn gym teachers._


	11. in the thicket

_Summary : She owes him one._

_In the Thicket_

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It was supposed to be an average day for Sasuke Uchiha. The sun was glimmering above, and everything was bright in his section of the thicket. The colossal trees in the dense, old forest swayed back and forth, all erect and green with health. Young, pink jabberwoks pecked at bright toadstools outside, making small noises on the forest floor. If he dared to look, which he did, he could see the trail of color the small dragon left, painting the green grass a multitude of yellows and blues. Fae's fluttered about his humble wooden home, greeting them with thir tinkering voices. The balls of light they left for him hung in the air, vibrating fluently. The minature lake surrounding his small cottage glittered blue in the sunlight, putting a bright, colorful rainbow around his _almost_ happy home.

_Almost _being the key word, for this Forest Guardian was _never _happy, or so he believed. Ever since he was taken away from his home and forced to protect this _wonderful _little wood, he swears he's been everything but happy. True, he loved his little home and he adored the small creatures the welcomed him without fail each morning, but he swore that all he felt was emptyness and longing for the beaches where he was raised and bred.

It was also true that he didn't have a place there anymore. His large, but quiet beachside kingdom was overrun with pollution and decay, leaving only a hollow memory of his once beautiful kingdom. He was lucky to find such a beautiful place and earned his keep by becoming a Guardian of this wood, named for the Kingdom it secretly harbored. He was bound to this place for an eternity, but Sasuke wasn't sure he could handle a lifetime with so much mirth floating around him. He soon learned that the Cherry Woodlands needn't any protection, for it was cleverly hidden by a seal the old king placed at the edge of the forest.

Still, he stayed in his small cottage in the center of his shimmering lake, armed with his sword and his wit. It was Sasuke's job to be the protector of this grove, and he was going to do his job without fail.

_Speaking of 'fail', _he thought, catching a glimpse of red through the green trees, _here _she _comes. _He opened the door to his cottage and leaned against the door frame, his black hair framing his face. In the center of his happy little lake, he looked like a beacon of trouble, though he never bought any. His white shirt was left half open, and his black pants clung to his legs. His sword stood in its' holster on his hip, ready to grab at a moment's notice. Graphite eyes spotted the red blur quickly approaching his home, a basket in hand. _What could she want now? _he thought grumpily, crossing his arms.

The girl looked at Sasuke from the edge of his lake, placing a bare foot in the cool waters. She removed her red hood, but kept the cloak close to her form, covering her body with it. Pink hair tumbled down in waves until they hit her shoulders, and bright green eyes locked with his. Before he could speak, rosy lips parted, sending a smile so bright he became blinded. A pink tint stained his cheeks and he groaned heavily. He should've known that she would visit, as she comes everyday, but he was still unprepared for the bright burst of energy and smiles that was his Princess. She was of elven blood, but had spirte-like actions. Naturally curious and naive, though very bright, Haruno Sakura of the Cherry Kingdom quickly became the object of Sasuke Uchiha's affections, though she was blissfully ignorant of it.

Quickly, she glided over the cool water, only mildly disturbing the bright mermaids and water nymphs that inhabited the freshwater beneath her delicate feet. Moments later, she was smiling in his face, extended her basket towards him. "The flutterbees make so much honey, and it's all very sweet," she said, her voice high with mirth. She reached into her basket and pulled out a jar with a sticky, blue substance inside, the middle swirling softly. He was going to protest when she opened her mouth again. "I've also packed snoreberries incase this wasn't too...appetizing."

"You already knew, Your Highness, that I have a dislike for sweets," he said, stepping to the side to let her in. She bowed in response, and headed for the kitchen, fumbling about in his cabinets. He simply sat at a wooden table, and pulled a chair out for her, though she never used them. "Why did you decide to visit me today?" he asked, watching her jittery movements. There was something off about her today, and he knew this was not another social call she _loved _to make. "You haven't taken off your cloak," he noted, causing her to make a squaking sound. She covered it up with a fake laugh, and quickly turned around.

"Of course," she said, bowing slightly. "My apologies." Quickly, she undid the thin white rope that bound her cloak together and shimmied out of it, revealing a long, pastel green dress with pink swirls around the bottom, in a lacy flowery designs. She was terribly overdressed, even for a princess, but Sasuke said nothing. He was used to Sakura, and knew the girl was too eccentric for her own good. Quietly, she looked around his small house, dragging her fingers across the wood, careful not make leaves spring up. Her green eyes darted from place to place bfore she took a seat on the table, a sigh heavy on her lips. "I'll ne'er be able to live like this, will I?" she asked sadly, her eyes staring at her bare feet.

"Why do you ask such things, Princess?" he said, his voice even but still gave her the respect she was due. She closed her eyes before she spoke anything to him. Placing her hands in her lap and crossing her fingers, she heaved another sigh, but this one sounded more akin to a sob. Sasuke moved, but she placed a hand in front of his chest.

"Don't address me as _that," _she said spitefully, her voice cracking. "I did _nothing _ to deserve that title." A silent tear dripped down her face, and landed on the table. Another hit, and then another. Before long, she was sobbing into her hands, cupping her face to keep herself quiet. Sasuke motioned to comfort her, but she shook inher grasp. "I did _nothing _to earn this life!" she screamed in the happy little cottage. She faced him, one eye red with anger and other blue with sadness.

Sasuke swore he's never seen a girl, much less royalty, look so broken. This little princess—this girl was crying in front in him, on his kitchen table letting her pain get to her. Instead of he bright, kind, bubbly animal loving girl he grew to adore, she was grieving in front of him, her bright eyes so dark with brown tears that didn't fit her face. "I don't know much about _royalty," _he said tentaviely, watching whip her hair around to face him. Her eyes were still red and blue, but the red one seemed to glow angrily. "And I know even _less _of girls...but I know sadness," he said, resting his hand on hers. Her hands were soft and warm against his calloused ones, and he savored the feeling silently. "What is troubling you, Sakura?"

At those words, the red completely disappeared. It faded back into the pastel green, although cold, but welcoming. The eye shimmered with tears that haven't fell yet, but were dying to crawl out. Her other eye was a deep, bright blue that reflected her sorrows. They were deep and iridescent, pulsing with every tear that slipped out of them. The light that reflected from Sasuke's graphite eyes didn't show in hers. In fact, no light came from the lone eye, keeping every mosel of good for itself. It was more blue than the happy lake surrounding the happy cottage in this happy wood. These were the eyes of an unhappy Princess living in a world that she doesn't want

The seering look she gave him told him everything and nothing at the same time. Still, she opened her mouth, "My birthday is in a week. I'll be of age." She spoke quietly, as if it was a secret, kept between the closest of people. She stood up and swirled around in her dress. "Isn't it lovely, Sasuke?" she asked, daring him to look at her.

He didn't. "It's a nice dress, if that is what you're asking," he said evasively, a laugh on his lips. "You've had bigger problems that a fancy dress, Sakura."

"T'is true. The dress is not the problem, in fact, I rather like it. My trouble is that I'm going to be queen by the end of the month, Sasuke." He looked at her with a confused face, not able decipher what was wrong. She looked at him, but then looked down. "I love my kingdom Sasuke," she began, a small smile glittering on her face. "It's beautiful, and the people are so kind 's just..." she said, both eyes turning blue. She hung her head limply in her hands. "I'm not fit to lead these people, Sasuke. I'm not meant to be queen."

"How would you know?" he shot back, and she slightly startled.

"Because.." she began, biting her lip in embarassment, "A queen needs a king, Sasuke." He gave her another puzzled look. "And I do not have a consort, much less a husband!"

"You cannot lead on your own?" he asked, noticing her eyes fading back to the bright, cold green that they were. A strange pink dusted her cheeks before she answered that question.

"That's a political matter, Sasuke," she said, straightening up. "The kingdom will understand if I choose not to marry, but other countries won't take us seriously anymore. If we aren't a force to be reckoned with, it could be a disaster for my people, and I cannot handle it," she said,, matter-of-factly. The blush stayed on her face, spreading to her ears.

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. "Sasuke," she began excitedly, one eye turning a bright pink, "will you do your country the biggest favor in it's history?"

The Uchiha arched an eyebrow at her, "And that is?"

"Marry me."


	12. another year passes

_Summary : It was on her birthday that the most wondrous of things happened to Haruno Sakura_  
_Notes : Birthday!fic; in honor of it being Sakura's birthday.  
Thank you guys so much on the last chapter! The reviews and everything really made smile when I needed it. Thank you_

_And Another Year Passes_

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On the day Sakura was born, the seasons changed. At three twenty-four p.m. on March twenty-eighth, the world experienced the first signs of the cold winter finally ending and the glorious spring finally made it debut appearance with the bright sun shifting the bitterly cold air to somewhat warm and enjoyable. In only a matter of hours, the below freezing temperature rose to a warmer degree, a little over the melting point of water. The fluffy white markers of winter swiftly dissolved, leaving almost dead grass and nearly dead shrubs in its' wake. Almost immediately, the birds returned from their annual trips and nestled themselves in their homes, as if they'd never left. The animals that hid during the cold months revealed themselves quickly, making a home wherever they could.

In short, it was something of an anomaly, for a baby to seemingly cause the seasons to change. A rarity of nature that was not anticipated by anyone or any_thing._

Everything hustled and bustled on the day little Miss Haruno was born, and this was quite the sight for the new parents. While this was an insignificant thing in the watchful eyes of the world, to Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno, this was something grand. She was named for the soon-to-be pink trees that were sure to line the outside of the house she was going to live in, and because of this miracle that happened because of her arrival.

The spirit of winter was amazed by this as well. Sasuke wasn't supposed to be around this half of the world around this time, but he had sick, twisted pleasure in watching all of his work being washed away by forces beyond him. he witnessed everything he'd done being undone in a matter of moments, and this perplexed him. Surely, it could _not _have happened _that _fast. It was simply impossible, unworkable – this change. Something _magical _had to happen, and he was determined to find out.

Upon seeing a bright pink bundle with the greenest eyes he's ever seen, he knew that _this _was the cause of his downfall.

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On the day Sakura turned three, her mother died. On the bright spring day, her mother took her final breaths, slowly and pained. It was nothing unexpected, her mother had been battling illnesses for as long as the child could remember. At three years old, Sakura didn't have a clear memory of when her mother was well, or when she'd gotten sick. She'd simply _been_ this way, pale and cold and always coughing. The air around Sakura seemed to chill as she watched her mother with her bright, child-like green eyes. She was so innocent, her mother had been moved to tears, endless green pools letting out a waterfall. Seeing her bright greens close that final time made something in Sakura _snap._

A different something snapped within Sakura's father. This something was replaced by something sinister and blood-thirsty, always wanting the child to bleed, the way her mother did.

Only her mother bled on the inside.

At three years old, the child was first stuck by her father. Bright blue eyes that always looked at her in pity and shame glared at her with hatred and blame, and Sakura hadn't the slightest clue what had happened. The warm, loving man was replaced by a monster, who never wanted the child to leave his presence. She would forever be under his thumb, constantly crushed by the weight of his fingers around her throat.

It was also this day where she caught a glimpse of the cold spirit, who looked at her with a sense of pity, longing, confusion. His eyes were dark and impassive, and she believed them to be as black as his hair. dressed in all black, she believed him to be an angel, coming to lead her mother away. He looked at her mournfully, but disappeared quickly. She only caught a glimpse of him, because her eyes were quickly swollen shut due to unforeseen circumstances.

She would tell her father about him, and he would say that he was not real. She had one friend, and he was imaginary.

That was the only friend she was allowed to have until she was twelve.

This would not be the last time she would see him, however. She stole more glimpses of him over the years to come. Each of them fleeting, and each having a different meaning.

And her father would hit her for thirteen more years.

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On the day Sakura turned sixteen, her father realized that he was no longer making a child punish for killing her mother, but punishing a _woman. _Little Miss Haruno was no longer little, but finally all grown up. Her hair was long and pink, like his, but her eyes were the same child-like green that held too much innocence for him to bear. She was grew to be beautiful, all long legs and rosy lips that spoke such intelligent, profound words that he was left in a daze. She woke him up with a bright smile on those rosy lips and whispered, "Good morning, Papa. I hope you've slept well." He'd only smile back at her, and reach a hand towards her now long, pink hair, held back by a blue ribbon.

He, nor the spirit, missed the flinch she did upon, what was supposed to be, sentimental contact. Instead of being slightly appalled by the action, like the spirit was, he was outraged. Outraged at her, for fearing him. Didn't she know that _she _was all he had left? That she was his only precious thing in the universe?

Seeing the tears well up in her bright green eyes, he sighed softly. He retracted the hand. She looked him in the bright blue eyes and gave him another smile, though this one was less sincere. "Go to school, Sakura. Have a nice day," he said, his eyes meeting her softly. His voice was weak with shame and he felt the guilt he was due.

On that fateful day in March, she met the spirit again, but this moment wasn't fleeting. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her small frame, and breathed in her scent. She relaxed in his hold, a small smile gracing her lips. Slowly, her arms wrapped around his, pulling him a closer hold. Green eyes closed softly upon her head reaching his shoulder. "You're dangerously cold," she said, not letting him go.

"Aa," he said back, reveling in her warm touch. She pulled away from him, looking him in his eyes, which she assumed to be black. She smiled upon seeing that they were _not, _but a deep, dark grey that melded into the pupil astoundingly.

"Are you my guardian angel?" she asked, touching his face. She chuckled at her softly, and shook his head.

"Perhaps."

It was that day when she discovered her father's body, limply hanging from a rope. On the floor was note, written hastily. Her father never had good handwriting, but this was atrocious.

_Happy birthday, Sakura. I love you._

Sasuke was there to hold her as she cried for the first time in thirteen years.

He'd be there for many years to come.

_._

_._

_._

On a day that was not her birthday, Sakura told Sasuke, who had claimed the title of her Guardian Angel, that she did not want the life she was given. Cool green eyes sat on a snow-covered roof top with the raven-haired spirit, and sighed. She was older than the little girl who daddy loved a little too much, but younger than the girl who lost mommy. Her hair were longer, her waist was thinner, and her rosy lips were plump with life.

Still, her green pools retained that innocence of a child, born in the beginning of spring; when the animals came out of hiding and the birds returned and the snow melted into grass again. "Sasuke, I hate my life," she'd said, her words heavy against light lips. The words lingered against her breath, staining the dark air white. He perked up at her words, not saying anything, but acknowledged that he was listening. "Am I normal?" she'd ask him.

"No," he answered, shortly and sweetly. His breath didn't stain the world white.

"Thought so," she said,lying against the tiled roof. The snow touched her bare shoulder, but she did not shiver in the cold. She closed her eyes gently, her eyelids suddenly heavy. "All I want, Sasuke, is to be an ordinary teenager," she began softly, "One who has parents who loved her, and friends who may or may not be real." His grey eyes looked at her with a sense of pity, and he sighed.

It was true, he hadn't met a teenager much like Sakura in his lifetime. Most girls were simple and shallow, developing personalities when she'd already been mature enough to handle death without batting an eye. She cared not for gifts or compliments, simply wanting the best for her friends, even though there was only two of them, counting the may or may not be real Sasuke. She never focused on make up or anything that would cover her blemishes, but embraced her flaws, her natural beauty making them insignificant.

She was unlike any girl he'd ever met.

"I don't think I've had a good birthday since I was two," she mumbled sleepily, her head resting on his solid shoulder.

With that, the winter spirit gained an idea.

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On the day Sakura turned nineteen, Sasuke gave her a birthday present unlike any other. It was a sweet gesture, and the college student could not ask for anything more. She hadn't expected anything from the man, or anyone really, but she was presented with the gift all the same. As someone studying astronomy on a full-ride scholarship, she was thrilled to see what her closest friend has gotten her. In all it's glory, a deep blue orb was staring her in the face. It floated above Sasuke's palm, reflecting plenty of light. It was incredibly hot, but Sakura was not burned when she reached to touch it. Instead, her cool eyes seemed to make it drop a few degrees, and it drifted from his hand to hers. "Sasuke," she breathed, "it's so beautiful."

He smirked at her softly, of course a star would be a perfect gift for a perfect girl. "Just like someone I know." Immediately, her cheeks were tinted pink. She let out a strangled gasp, but smiled at him brightly. A sincere, bright smile full of wine colored lips and white teeth. "If it ever starts to waver," he began, taking his hands and wrapping them around her free one, "I'll get you a new one." She shook her head at him softly, planting a tender kiss to his cheek.

"You've already done enough for me, Sasuke," she said, her hands clasping around the blue star. Her eyes ducked down at it for a second time, but let back up quickly. "Thank you so much!" Quickly, she placed a kiss on his thin lips, and she quickly noted that they were cold, but soft.

"Normal girls don't get stars for their birthday's," he said snidely,pulling her into a hug. Sakura sighed as she remembered their conversation from months earlier. She's said that she hated her life, and while that was still true, she'd grown to accept it. There were good days, and there were bad, but that's apart of the ride, she supposed. Everything was not lined with silk and served with honey, and she would need to know that sooner or later.

She hoped that learning sooner would help her later on.

Not everything was bad, she guessed as she placed another kiss to Sasuke's face. After all, most people don't fall in love with their childhood crush. While it had been a gnawing feeling, she'd grown to succumb to her feelings and let herself drown in them. She knew better than most that you only get one life, and you should make the best of it while you can. It was that reason alone why she confessed the previous day, the one before her birthday.

She was surprised to see him feel the same way about her. She sighed as he pressed a kiss to her nose. Winding his cold fingers through her hair, he sighed her name, "Sakura." She 'hmmm'd in response, her eyes closed gently. "No matter what, I will always be right beside you."

That night, she cut her long pink locks off, and vowed to keep her hair short.

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The day after Sakura's nineteenth birthday, she was in a terrible accident on the highway. The calamity took three lives, and hers was snatched from her that fateful day. The sun was shining, and she was positive earlier in the morning, and she was still content now. Her life had been full of magic and had some meaning, so leaving her legacy the way she did was not a problem for her.

When she died, she expected to see her mother or father waiting for her, a smile on their faces. Someone she _knew _that left her too soon. Someone she'd never see again.

She was surprised to see Sasuke, helping her out of the rubble that used to be her car. Blood and guts were everywhere on the scene, but she was not affected. She was clean and prestine from head to toe, short pink hair sparkling in the daylight. The white hand picked her up, and she couldn't fight the smile forming on her lips. "What are you doing here?" she asked him, and he smiled back at her.

"I told you I'd never leave, right?" he said back, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Is that the closest I'll ever get to an 'I love you'?" she asked, leaning against him. He chuckled at her comment and sighed softly.

"We have all eternity to figure it out."


	13. yeah boy and doll face

_Summary : After fighting an evil sorcerer, she sees a familiar face._  
_Notes : Updated version of chapter 13! I don't own 'Yeah Boy and Doll Face' the song I use in this story - Pierce The Veil does. Thank you Blu! Bluenara told me what to do to fix this chapter and I'm much happier with it._

_Yeah Boy &amp; Doll Face_  
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I approached the swamp gleefully, my battered, muddy red cape flowing in the wind behind my. Short, pink hair clung to my face, weighing down with sweat dut to the wet in this muddy, god-foresaken swamp I was currently wading in. My black boots were surely muddy, and every step I took sunk my deeper and deeper into the marshy land. I couldn't help the way my large, green eyes narrowed in frustration when I felt my white socks getting _wet. _I growled angriliy when I felt a long, thin arm grab my ankle. Quickly, I grabbed the bright purple duel-headed axe and hacked away at the disgusting water, satisfied to see a stream of red float above. "Damn gorgions," I muttered in distaste, latching the axe back onto my thigh and sighed.

Today was _not _going to be agood a day.

Still, I trudged on in the murky swamp, the flithy water getting deeper and the air becoming staler. Even though the heat was sweltering, I thanked God that I decided to wear thick stockings. They were hot, but my legs were still-mostly dry. I smirked when I seen the trees get thicker and felt the air get more and more putrid.

I was getting close.

Instead of resting like I knew I should, I pushed forward. The water was up to my knees, and my tan shorts were sure to be soaked by the time I reached the cottage I was going to be exhausted, but there was a little girl with blue hair and grey eyes that I needed to get out of there, like yesterday. She's been there for _days, _and no one really knows if she's still alive. Having been taken by one of the deadliest sorcerers around, it'd be a _miracle _if she's still breathing. It goes without saying that I'm on this quest to save her. I don't know _who _she is, but I know her parents are really concerned about her.

Besides, saving the girl means that I get to fight Delaiah – number five on my hit list.

Don't get me wrong, I really do want to save this kid – but there's nothing wrong with _slaying _the bastard who took _my _bastard away from me. A few years ago, he stole my partner-in-questing-and-maybe-life-but-that's-neither-here-or-there, Sasuke, and made him into _fancy-schmancy _prince in a _fancy-schmancy _castle far, far away and stopped all communication between the two of us. Last time I spoke to him, he promised that all the riches in the world wouldn't stop him from exploring the rest of the world with me.

He lied, and now I'm adventuring all on my own. The only physical thing I have left of him is my axe – he gave it to me as a birthday present when I cracked the sword I used against an orge's skull. My blade shattered, but so did his cranium. Instead of having the old metal fixed, he replaced with what he thought was better, only because he crafted it himself, and whatever Sasuke did was better than what anyone else cold even hope to do.

Except me, because Haruno Sakura is naturally gifted at _everything._

Naturally, number one on my hit list is _the _Uchiha Sasuke. I plan on using all the money I've saved over the years to visit him, and give him a piece of my mind, and maybe kill him, just a little bit. Sasuke's always been cold and distant, but I never expected to lose him like this. Never in a million years I thought I would have my best friend stolen from me because of a kingdom he's never heard of.

But that's a different story. The outline of the cottage in the swamp is becoming clearer, and the old, wooden dock is looking more and more like a safe haven instead of a bridge to hell. A soft smile crosses my lips and I sigh heavily, nearly running towards the small swamp house. Checking for my axe, I approach the house, knocking thrice.

Shortly, a tall man answered the door, and I was nearly blown away with how attractive he was. I've only seen this man a handful of times, and each time I was blinded by rage and a level of hate only a woman could have. His skin was pale and clear, almost transparent with the air of cool elegance only a sorcerer of his caliber could have. His dark hair was pulled from him face in a simple ponytail, highlighting his angular face and dark, deep orange eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure, mademoiselle?" he asked, his tone condescending.

Still, I give him a charming smile. "The pleasure is all mine, monsuiere," I say, daring to look him in the eye. I bow slightly, only to look into his home. It's impeccably tidy, but I can see wisps of blue covering the wooden floor. Quitely, I suck in a breath. "It seems that I've lost my child out in this swamp, you wouldn't have happened to see her, have you?"

He smirks at me and tilts my chin up to meet his. "You look far too young to have a _child,_" he deadpans, staring at me.

"Appearances can be deceiving," I retort.

"Quite so. Tell me, _madame, _what's your age?"

I laughed lightly at him and raise a hand to my chest. "Sir, you never ask a lady her age. It's quite disrespectful." I was surprised to see him laugh at this, but I said nothing.

"I suppose it is, but I've never seen a woman so beauiful to be old enough to have a child.."

I blush slightly. Beautiful? I know that I'm fairly attractive, but I've never been called beautiful, especially by someone so handsome. It's an odd feeling, really. I haven't the slightest idea how to react, but I say anyway, "That's very nice to hear, but have you seen the child?"

His eyes widen slightly, and he sighed. Gotcha, bastard. "I haven't seen your daughter anywhere," he answers sullenly, preparing to close the door.

Quickly, I put my foot in the threshold, a smirk on my face. "I never said I had a _daughter, bastard." _Seeing his eyes widen, I reach for the axe on my thigh. It only takes four seconds, but after two of them passed, I was thrown into the deep, murky water, his hands struggling to keep me down.

"Smart girl, but you're not too bright to test me," he said, his face near the water. His gold eyes bore into mine, though distorted from the dark water clouding them. I lift a foot to kick him off of me, and he splashed back. I stand and throw my cape off, sighing.

"That cape was worth sixteen spences," I say, glaring at the man. I approach him quickly, anger surging. I throw three knives at him, hoping to pin him down to something. I wasn't surprised when they hit a tree behing him, and he disappeared in the blink of an eye. I sighed softly when I felt him behind me. I grab my axe and swing, but his eyes only narrowed in annoyance. He gripped my wrist just tight enough to drop my axe.

"You're cute enough not to kill," he says, smiling at me.

"You're not!" I scream, trying to save some face. He only chuckles at me.

"Yes, definitely cute. The girl shall be returned, she's served her purpose. You, however, are a nuisance _Sa-ku-ra._ I could never harm a flower so beautiful," he says, stroking my cheeks, "but setting you up is something I'm _very _capable of. What do you say 'bout that, love?" he said, tilting his head at me.

I chose not to say anything.

"Canticum erit vobis onus donum. Et erit vobis in qua via sequitur, modo per vices tuam postulo, hostem superat maximum," he said lucidly, and then planted a kiss to my cheek.

Before I knew it, everything went dark.

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When I awoke, I was in a field, surronded by flowers and the bue sky hovered above me. It was bright and clear, not a single cloud in sight. When I was a bit younger, skies like this was a common occurance. I'd sit with Sasuke and just watch the infinite mass of blue drift endlessly back and forth before our curious eyes. Everything was serene and he had an almost child-like innocence about him that draewd me to him, like a moth to a flame. When he was young and naive and everything was just so delicately beautiful I could cry.

If I closed my eyes, I could pretend that _he _was here beside me. I could imagine the way his eyelids gently fluttered open and shut, obscuring the beautiful void of his eyes for just a second, only to drag me back in. He'd be laying down on the green grass, his thin lips in a straight line because Sasuke never smiled unless he was smiling for me, and these times were for the sky and just being young and daring. His hands would be in his tan gloves, and his black hair would be resting upon them. He'd take off his cape and let me rest on in because chivalry was second nature, but he'd smirk at me and say that he couldn't travel with me if I became dirty and ugly in his arrogant way. His sword would be in it's red holster and he'd be happy, because times of peace were so fleeting and so rare when you live the lives we did.

That life is dead now, I suppose.

Maybe I did love him.

Maybe I still do. Before I can stop myself, the words tumble from in between my lips_, "Were you honest when you said,_

_'I could never leave your bed?'_

_Wake me up and let me know_

_You're alive.."_

I hadn't intended to sing those words, and I really hadn't intended to speak them out loud. My thoughts tend to get away from me, and when they do, dumb things happen. This happeneds more often then it should, but I'm not ashamed. I'm alone, and my feelings need to felt.

What doesn't happen is when someone sings along with me, "_And will you fall in love again?_

_Is the scent slowly spreading?_

_I've been answering machines all night."_

My green eyes open and I'm met with a pair of familiar onyx pair. _Sasuke. _His eyes are still just as void-like, pulling me in and never letting me go. They're aged slightly, and the innocence is mostly gone, replaced with lonliness. What used to be the only light in my world is standing before me, and I have no idea what it is anymore. I open my mouth to speak, but I can only sing.

_"And are the doctors dancing in_

_While the ambulances sing?_

_Another boy without a sharper knife..."_

To my surprise he sings back, "_The moment that's where I _

_Kill the conversation, wrap this up.."_

_"With a knife that loves to feel _

_How do you know how deep to go before it's real?_

_Can I even complicate your breathing?_

_I guess I'm just your average girl," _I interrupt, sadly. His eyes widen slightly, and I only sit in the grass. I don't look at him, but he sits with me, silently taking my hand. As much as i want to stare back at him, the way I know he's looking at me, I can't. Without warning, I lean my head on his shoulder, and take a deep breath.

"_She could make hell feel just like home _

_So I'm never leaving her alone," _he saings softly, and I melt on the inside. Sighing softly, I remember _why _I foolishly fell for him in the first place. He's a bastard, a snobby, arrogant bastard who just _loves _to play the part of the hero. Reckless and dangerous, he doesn't care what happends around him because 'he's always fine'. A completely stupid notion for an idiot, but he's _my _idiot. He's reckless, but brave and bold, and too much of a cliche for anyone to hate wrapped up in a single entity that was Uchiha Sasuke.


	14. between elvis and suicide

_Summary : I know the whole a guy walks into a bar thing is old, but that's how our story starts._

_Notes : Based upon 'Nothing Left To Lose' by The Pretty Reckless. _

_Between Elvis and Suicide_  
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On a rainy Saturday evening, a guy walks into a bar. I know that phrase usually goes along with a joke, but ain't nothin' funny about this story. Some would call it depressing, others miraculous. Personally, I don't know what to call it besides life, or lack of. Specifically, my lack of life and her abundance of it, even though she isn't supposed to have any left. You'd think that being dead would suck the life out of her, but it seems that Little Pink Hair didn't get the memo. She's all smiles and dark jokes and stupid laughs and so much color that you'd go absolutely blind – but you really don't need to see anyway.

Hell, even if you were blind you'd still see her mess of pink hair and those bright, stupidly green eyes that only a girl named _Sakura_ could have. I remember once she told me that Sakura wasn't the name on her birth certificate, but a nickname her sister coined after she...y'know...died. She had another dainty flower name, like Rose or something, but sakura flowers die early, and that's what she did.

I've never been much of a flower person, but with pink hair and green eyes, I couldn't imagine her having anyother name. It just wouldn't fit the bill. She just _looks _like a Sakura.

But that's not the point. The guy walked into the bar, full of swagger and confidence that he's always known. It was pouring buckets outside, but the guy was too cool to notice. He's always been too cool for _something, _and even in death, that never changed. He walked into the bar, and was momentairly blinded by the pretty pink drink of water that was the bar tender. She was short and plucky, making light conversation with a blond who wasn't drinking anything. Her hair lightly grazed her shoulders and was a wickedly bright shade a pink that drew the guy over to her.

If you assumed the guy was me, you'd be right. In the coolest manner possible, I made my way over the bar and took a seat, watching the pretty bar maid with interest. I had a way with girls in life, and if her friend was any indication, I haven't lost my touch. The pretty girl looked and me and her face flushed softly, and I chuckled at her – it's been a long time since I made a girl blush so quickly. In a blink, she made her way over to me, her bright jade eyes staring into mine.

This is the moment when I noticed the music in the background. It's an old song, but one I know well, due to spending so much time with my mother as a child. She was huge early rock 'n' roll fan, and everytime she found a recod on vinyl, she bought it home. Really, this songs belonged in a diner more than a bar, but I didn't have any complaints. In fact, I tapped my foot against the bar stool along with the beat. This action caused the pretty girl to smile a wide, bright smile at me.

Her pink lips pursed together as she spoke, "What's your poison, babe?" Her voice was smooth and even over the loud music, and it was the clearest thing I've heard since I died. Sweet and soft, I had to lick my own lips before responding to her.

"That's a pretty morbid joke, _babe," _I said, propping my elbows on the counter.

She laughs lightly and props her own self up, leveling her face with mine. Her jade eyes aligned with mine, and I was _hooked. _Those green eyes and those plump lips charmed me into moving closer, completely addicted without having a single taste. When she bit her lip in hesistation, I moved closer intent of invading her space. WIth a devious look in her eyes, she said, "We're all pretty morbid here." She looked at me with a mischievious smirk, and threw a wink towards the blond.

I guess _she _was the thing I was too cool notice, for I'd forgetten that she was here. The girl turned back to me, bringing an empty glass. When she approached me with an amber liquid in hand, I smirked at her. "You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see," I said, in time with the music in the background. She laughed her clear, bright laugh as she poured the shot and once again, I fell back under her spell.

"How old are you? Fifty?" she joked, putting the bottle back.

"Only twenty-nine," I responded truthfully. She turned to me, her eyes slightly wider than what they were. With a cock of her head, she smiled at me. "You?" I asked, downing the shot.

"Nineteen," she said, a gleam in her eyes. Before I could protest to what she was doing, she said, "I've been dead for ten years."

"That's a long time," I say, and she shrugs softly.

"I wouldn't spend these ten years doing anything different," she said, wiping down the counters. She quickly glances up at me and threw a wink my way, one bright eyes covered by tan skin. "Would you?" she asked.

"I wouldn't give anything to not end up here with you," I said, my voice deep and suave. She looks at me and cocks her eyebrow, but the pink tint staining her cheeks tells me that I'm going in the right direction. "What's your name?" I ask.

"They call me Sakura, and that's pretty morbid," she replied, stacking the glasses behind her. Quickly, she hopped onto the counter and swung her legs over, not quite facing me, but slightly turned to my form.

"And why's that?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Why do they call me Sakura or why is it morbid?" she asked, pursing her pink lips. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me, but her green eyes seemed to be looking _through _me. I don't put it past her; she seems like the kind of girl who can look through me. She won't find much, I'm not a man of substance. Shivers and chills and anything to keep me from getting low is what I was about when I was alive, and I haven't changed much.

Now, I don't get low.

An infinite high.

"Both," I answer her, and she takes a seat besides me.

"They call me Sakura because I offed myself when I was nineteen. It's morbid because Sakura's are beautiful and pink and happy little trees, but they die super early and super fast. One minute there and the next dead," she said, her eyes ever optimistic. Before I can feel bad for what she's told me, she puts a hand up. "Life sucks, then you die. I just wanted to speed up the process." She looks into her lap and digs for something in her pocket. "I sent my sister a text before I died," she said, pulling out her phone. She cleared her throat before reading, "'Maybe I was wrong. Maybe life doesn't get better. Life sucks, it has always sucked, and it might suck forever. Is there a such thing as recovery? A long, difficult process that erases what dad did and makes everything better? Sounds very fairy tale-ish and I don't think it's worth it anymore. I won't pretend I'm okay anymore.'" She put her phone away and sighed softly. I put a hand on her shoulder, and she looked at me with wide eyes. "By the time she found me, I was long gone. And I don't regret it." I hadn't the slightest idea how to react to this. A complete stranger telling me about her suicide doesn't always happen, and it's enough to make me lose my cool. Before I know it, she puts a hand on my shoulder, "You're shaking."

"I used to shake all the time," I told her, trying to ease up. She held her eyes away from mine, until I spoke up, "I'm not judging you or anything. It's just some chills. I'll be fine in a bit." It was true, I used to shake and shiver and sweat all the time when I was alive. When my brother died, I fell into a void and the cause of my shakes and shivers pulled me out of it.

It also lead to my demise.

"I used to be a junkie," I blurted, causing her to give me a look.

"So was my sister," she said, smiling softly. "She's clean now. I check up on her from time to time, but I don't think she notices," she continues, lacing her fingers in mine. I didn't protest. "How'd you kick the bucket?"

"Overdose on painkillers," I say softly. She looks at me with her bright green eyes and I keep talking, though I don't know why. "It might've been intentional or accidental, I don't know for sure. I just woke up that day and told myself that I was going to swallow a bottle of xanax and I did."

She stayed silent for a moment, but it wasn't odd. Slightly off putting, but she'd been off putting in general. Off-putting and bright and blinding and filling the void I'd gotten myself into without even trying. She became my new addiction in what could've been minutes or hours or days.

Suddenly, time didn't matter anymore.

She mattered.

My shaking stopped.

I don't have chills.

And she's holding my hand.

"This is going to sound weird," she began, placing a hand on my chest, "but I want to try to live as close a normal life as possible. With you."

"You don't even know my name," I say, smiling slightly at her.

"I do," she said, smirking at me.

"Oh?"

"It's Cute-Guy-I'm-Going-To-Spend-My-Afterlife-With."

I like the sound of that.


	15. robotics

_Summary : After a year and a half, Naruto and Sasuke see a different Sakura._

_Notes : More sci-fi than fantasy, but whateves. Team seven love!_

Robotics Club

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The dirt and grime didn't bother Uchiha Sasuke as he took a seat on an abadoned pile of scrap metal, his hands covered with bulky, metallic gloves that seemed to breathe with every breath he took. They were made from the finest brass he could afford and covered in gears and tubes and anything else he could make work. There was even a bright green light on his palm, but that was just a tribute to a friend. The gloves were heavy and he'd had a hell of a time building them, but they were his gloves and he loved more than he'd love anything else in his life. Behind him, a small, sleek machine rested itself among other spare parts of metal, fully charged and itching to eb moved, if a machine could itch. Uchiha Sasuke was a genius, but he had no experience in matters of life and death – nor did he want any. The twenty-four year old robotics scienctist had his plate full of bolts and screws and an unhealthy relationship with gears, and he would not have it any other way.

He looked at the letter lying in his palm and sighed, "Where the _hell _are those two idiots?" Quickly, he checked his pocket watch and winced at the time, ten in the afternoon. Fourty-five minutes later than what was writing on the paper. He groaned loudly, resting his hands on his knees. He pulled the brim of his trademark top hat, a momento from his dear older brother, more over his eyes, hiding them from the blistering sun. He remembered this being his _least _favorite part about his passion – spending hours in the sun looking for spare parts to test. He loved what he did and would never change, but this part was less than desirable. _It's still nice to be back in the yard, _he thought, his obsidian eyes wandering around. He inhaled the stangant air, breathing in the smell of metal and rust. If he concentrated, he could smell motor oil in the distance, but having fresh motor oil out and about would be incredibly peculiar. _What the hell could that be? _he thought, rising from his seated position to investigate.

"Teme! The fuck are you doin' here?" a boisterous voice boomed loudly. Sasuke did not have to know the voice belonged to a blond with bright blue goggles on his forehead. Only Naruto would make their prescence so known to the rest of the world, effectively disturbing Sasuke's train of thought. Dryly, Sasuke lifted his hat to the man, taking in the small controller and large robot trailing behind him. "God Sasuke," he began, walking up to the man, "you're here so early! You got a letter too?" The blond's face was tan and wet with sweat, and his smile was broad enough to split his face in half. In fact, Sasuke was sure it would've split long ago if it hadn't been for the brass metal plate embedded in his cheek.

Taking his hat off and revealing a black eye patch with his shop's insigna sewn into it with white and red thread, he said, "Of course I got one, idiot." His confidence was showing, and he didn't mind. Sasuke was known not only for his genius, but arrogance. People who've met him swore it was stitched into his DNA, that was the only possible way a prodigy such as him could be so cocky. An old friend once told him that it'd get him into trouble, but he long gave up on trying to find _her. _"You're late," Sasuke said, his lone eye peering into his collegues.

Immediately, Naruto tensed up. Pointing a finger while keeping his free hand on his controller, he said, "Don't start." His blue eyes looked at the dark with with a smile, and he set the controller down. He pulled off his orange cape and dusted off his dark shirt and smiled at Sasuke, who began to dust off his blue pin-striped vest. "It's been a long time since Sasori wanted to partner up with us," he said, looking at the empty yard. "Wonder where he is.." A light tinkering sound bought them out of their thoughts and back to the junkyard, where a petite young woman was staring at them with wide, luminescent eyes. Her pink hair grazed her shoulders gently and her lips were so delicate and prestine, it looked as if she'd been painted on. She wore a bright red sweater to cover her cream blouse, which was paired along with a bright pink skirt that had ruffles to the floor. Those bright green eyes glowed slowly, getting brighter and brighter, but lulling back into a cool green.

"Dead," she spoke, her voice cool and even. "Sasori is dead." She slowly spun around in a circle, showing a large wind up key, immediately piquing Sasuke's interest. She twitched uncontrollably for a moment, before walking up to the men, seemingly admiring them. Her bright green eyes glowed with excitement when she spotted Sasuke's arms. "You took my advice!" she gushed, reaching out to touch him. He instictively pulled his arm back, and narrowed his eyes at her.

"The hell are you talking about?" he said, looking at her. A glimpse of what could've been hurt flashed across thos lumiscent eyes, but she quickly composed herself. She turned herself to stare at the blond, who was unusually silent.

"That hurts, Sasuke, but I can't blame you. Always a man of logic and never wanted to believe in the impossible, you don't recognize it when it's staring at in your gauntlets," she said, her eyes downcast. She took another peek at them and spoke, "Change your oil soon." Then she put a cold, soft hand on to Naruto's metal plate. With a bright smile, she said, "Surely you remember me, idiot." With a flash of white teeth, she felt herself being pulled into a hug.

"Sakura!" the blond exclaimed, excitedly showing the woman with hugs.

"Sakura died, idiot. Don't forget that," Sasuke interjected, pulling the man away from the girl. He walked up to her, moving his eye patch to reveal a glowing, red eye, a creation he'd spent weeks upon with a very sickly Sakura. It scanned the girl from her head to her feet, showing all the information that it could gather about the girl with a simple look. "Five feet four inches, one hundred and thirty five pound, five onces –" he said, before she slapped a palm over his mouth.

"You promised you wouldn't say my weight aloud!" she said, her face in a pout. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "You promised me!" She glared at him, with a playfullness in her undertones. "First you forget all about me then you forget all your promises!" The man looked at her with deep grey eyes widening in realization.

"Holy _shit," _he said, staring at her. "You're not dead." The girl beamed at him, pulling him into a hug.

"Nope!" she said, laughing slightly. "You guys must've forgotten that I'm _brilliant_ and had lots of stuff I wanted to do before I let myself die!" She smiled at the two, pulling them into a hug. "I really missed you two," she said, a light smile on her face.

"What happened to you?" Sasuke asked, pulling away from her.

"Sasori happened," she said, her eyes downcast. "The bastard dislocated my knee and kept me in his tiny ass workshop."

"What?" Naruto said, pulling his hands on her shoulders.

"Sasori was kinda obsessed with me, if you didn't know," she said, shrugging those shoulders. She leaned her head on Sasuke's shoulder, "That's why I got so sick. Paint and smoke shouldn't be mixed, y'know? Being me, I wasn't going to let myself die, and he didn't want me to kick the bucket anytime soon, either. So we collabed and made a new set of lungs out of silver and a new pair of eyes from tin – that's why I'm thirty pounds heavier. I didn't get fat or nothin'," she said, a light laugh in her voice. "Then I killed him."

"Wha?" Naruto said, his mouth agape.

"But that doesn't matter," she said, crossing her arms. "What does is I'm alov and you're excited to see me." When she felt Sasuke's gauntlet wrap around her own soft hand, she smiled softly.

"What're we gonna do now?" Naruto asked, looking at the two with a smirk.

"That's obvious," Sasuke said, arrogant. "We're gonna keep making bots."

_fin._


	16. gummy bear troubles

_Summary : A young Prince Sasuke goes into the world, looking for adventure._

_Notes : I wanted to make this one as fun as possible. These next few chapters will have a few things in common, look out for them._

_Gummy Bear Troubles_

On a bright Saturday afternoon, seven year old Prince Uchiha Sasuke went for a walk. He knew that today was going to be an adventure, because his big brother told him that _everyday _was an adventure if you looked hard enough, and Sasuke was determined to find one today. He packed a basket of dango and chocolate, and placed his largest peppermint stick in his holster, determined to find an adventure worthy of telling his older brother. His face was a serious as he could be, his line almost set in a straight line and his dark onyx eyes set with the innocence only the crown Prince of Enchancia could be. Since his tou-san was dead, he became the _official _prince of the land, and as a prince, it was his duty to explore every bit of the kingdom and report his findings to the new king, Uchiha Itachi. As a man of his word, Sasuke was determined to explore his kingdom far and wide. With the big blue ball in the sky as his witness, he was going to be the best goshdarn explorer there ever was. His black cloak was safely fastened to him, and his leather boots were clean, something unusual for the seven-year-old boy. He huffed his chest and smiled at the bright yellow sky with the bright blue ball glowing ever so brightly, and set out on his quest.

For what seemed like hours, Sasuke marched. Picking one little foot up after the other, he paced himself, sure that he was getting far, far away from his great, white palace and closer to the bigger, black woods that fascinated him to no end. Growing up in royal confinement, Sasuke had no prior expirence with the world around the palace walls and all it's wonder. He only knew that the sky was yellow and the sun is blue and the time was always nine in the afternoon. Teas and cakes were served at all times and there wasn't a single person in the Fire Palace who did not smile. Life was simple and easy, and what was unknown should be explored util it is understood. Simple and exciting enough for a child to understand, it was no wonder why Sasuke loved his home so much.

If everything was perfect where you lived, wouldn't you love it? Prince Sasuke couldn't imagine anything different or anything more wonderful than his home. His kingdom wasn't the biggest, and it wasn't the strongest, but he knew it was the perfect place for him. He may never get a shot at the crown, but that was alright as long as his kingdom remained just and happy. With these thoughts in mind, Sasuke happily bounced on his way, popping a piece of chocolate in his mouth.

His smiled disappered slightly when he noticed that the sky was no longer yellow, but a deep purple. The blue sun was completely missing, replaced by a red moon. In front of him lie a dense forest, black and alarming. A thick orange fog came from the dank wood, crowding the place in even more mystery. He could still smell his sweets, but the overwhelming scent of finkleties and lightflurries intoxicated him. The prince, ever unafraid, cocked his head to the side and squinted his onyx eyes, trying to peer through the thick trees. The thicket was unmoving and dreadfully dead, Sasuke had never seen anything like it. All the plantlife he'd seen before was lush with pink leaves and white stems, bright and happy, much different than this wood he'd stumbled upon. Here, the trees are black and barren, seeming devoid of any life or happiness. He heard noises from inside the wood, calls and caws all around. They were loud and shocking, each scaring him out of his wits. The plucky prince who was so confident in everything that he did was only _a little _frightened of the dark mass of growth in front of him. Who wouldn't be? This unfamiliar, dark place with it's scary sounds was staring Sasuke in the face, daring him to dive into the unknown.

_"Sasuke, a good adventurern looks at the unknown, but a great one explores it!" _he remembered his brother saying to him before he left, fastening his black cloack upon his shoulders. Gently, he reached a hand to touch the dark fabric, and smiled the bravest smile he could muster. He was never one to turn down a dare, so he ran as fast as he could into the spooky wood, a brave fire lighting behind his eyes. Once he stepped inside the wood, the darkness seemed to envelope him, but allowed him to see ten paces around him in either direction. The black trees covered him like a blanket, and he moves swiftly, careful not to slow or stray from the path he was currently making. He knew if anything happened to him, he'd be able to fight it off long enough for Itachi-nii to save the day, but he was still careful. He thought it wuold be silly to march into a place recklessly, so he marched with slow, intricate steps. Sasuke never halted or slowed, but he never moved too fast for him to notice his new surroundings. His black cloak pulled around him and his blue pants on, he looked as if he belonged in the little wood – that he didn't find so scary now – than the place with the bright yellow sky.

The sound of soft wailing snapped him out of his musings. Without thinking too much, he ran towards the source of the crying, and found it, in what he assumed to be, the heart of the wood. The place was truly dark and the black trees twisted in ways that seemed unnatural to him. He'd never seem a tree so long and thin in his life, and he was sure he'd never heard one cry before. Sasuke approached the tree, and soon found what was moaning so sadly. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't back away. Lying the dirt with a branch through it'd body was a bear, made completely of green geletain. "You're a gummy bear!" he exclaimed, his graphite eyes wide. The bear looked at him, and with hard candy eyes, and growled lowly, in pain. Sasuke got on one knee and looked the poor, green bear in the eyes. "Are you stuck, Mister Bear?" he asked, his voice hopeful. A good prince always helps his subjects, and this was the _perfect_ oppertunity.

Just as he bent down to remove the branch from the bear, he heard a pair of feet rush towards them. The feet were in red shoes with big, white bows on them. The owner of the red shoes was girl, with bright bubblegum hair. She wore a cape instead of a cloak, and it was a bright red, just like her shoes. Under her cape was a sparkly pink dress with white lace and red ribbons. She carried a basket with her, and a graceful smile was on her lips. Sasuke would've brushed her off as another cootie-ridden _girl, _ if she weren't so pretty. The prettiest thing about her, he decided, were her eyes. They were the greenest green he'd ever seen, and he couldn't help but feel slightly amazed. "Oh Mister Bear!" she said, her voice scolding, "how many times are you gonna get stuck here?!" She put her hands on her hips and pouted at the bear, who looked away from her. It was the she noticed the prince around her. She inhaled a breath and bit her lip. Sasuke looked at her, his eyes wide. "This...You...what are you doing in my forest?" the girl asked, her voice slightky shakey.

"I was exploring, t'is all," he said, looking her in the eyes. They both stood, the chilly forest air enveloping them. The blackness englufed them, and for a moment, they were the only people in the world. For reasons Sasuke was to young to know, he couldn't stop staring into her green eyes. She looked like the gooey insides of the cookies his mom made, and his mom made really gooey cookies. They were always nice and soft, a bit tart but overall really sweet.

Would this girl be really sweet?

Deciding to explore _her, _Sasuke implored, "Do you want some chocolate? My mommy said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates.' So do you want some?" He reached into his basket and pulled out a handful, expecting her to take it. The girl looked at him with wide eyes, and slowly covered her sparkly dress.

"My auntie told me, 'Boys are the Devil,' but you don't seem like a devil. What are you, strange boy?" she asked, her pink hair falling to one side. Her green eyes were wide with curiosity and she looked at him with the same innocence he looked at her with. Hey onyx eyes looked like nightjays to her, and more precious than any stone she's come across. She could've used his help in crafting potions for an eternity and not grow bored of it. Tentatively, she put her hand in his and smiled, taking a chocolate. "Thank you, stranger," she said politely, unwrapping it.

Sasuke smacked his forehead and sighed heavily, he knew he forgot something! Quickly, he got down on one knee and took her pale hand in his. In imitation of what his brother normally did, he pressed his lips onto the back of her hand. She made a disgusted face, but blushed nonetheless. "I am Prince Sasuke of the Fire Kingdom. It's a pleasure to make your aquaintence, m'lady," he said, a perfect imitation of his brother. He looked at her, expecting her to curtsey in front of him and say her own name, like the girls did for Itachi. Instead, she stared back at him, confused.

"You're a prince?" she asked, her eyes wide. He thought she was really pretty this way – her eyes open and her pink lips apart. When Sasuke nodded at her, her prompty closed her mouth and bowed her head, an attempt to seem somewhat regal. "My name is Sakura, Prince Sasuke," she said, breathlessly. She smiled at him softly, "I'm a sorceress's appretence." She made a gesture to the rest of the wood and smiled brightly. "This is my home. The sky is dark and there's no palace, but it's still the best home I could have," she spoke proudly. Instead of thinking she was prettiest when she looked shocked, he thought she was truly pretty now – maybe even lovely, like Itachi-nii-san always said. She then pointed to the gummy bear, the branch still through his gelatin chest. With a flick of her wrist, the branch completely disappeared, and the bear was up and moving again. The bear bent down and whispered something in her ear, which she giggled to. She smiled at Sasuke softly before speaking, "Mister Bear would like you stay here for a while. I would like that as well, if you may."

Sasuke nodded at the girl and smiled ay her. "I'd have to ask my mommy if I can play here more often. Would you like to come with me? You could see _my _family, and my home. Only if you want," he asked her, a smile on her lips.

"I would like that, Prince Sasuke," she said. "May I teach you how to fly?" she asked, already hovering in the air. He smiled at her, taking her outstretched hand.

"You may, Sorceress Sakura." With that, the two flew through the black trees and into the purple sky.


	17. i'll keep you safe tonight

_Summary : While in No Man's Land, young Sasuke finds an unlikely ally._  
_Notes : prolouge to chapter nine!witch. Keep watching for similarities to the previous chapter._

_I'll Keep You Safe Tonight_

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At six years old, Sasuke Uchiha thought highly of himself. Quick witted and exceptionally talented with a sword, it was no wonder why Sasuke Uchiha thought himself tp be the best six year old of his generation. The young boy paid ample attention to his surroundings, and the dark wood seemed nearly unnatural to him, the way it glowered and hollard it's calls deep into the night. The moon was bright and orange overhead, and it smothered him with light that Sasuke was sure didn't belong to it. Only the sun shone so brightly, surely the moon couldn't do it as well. The boy stood in front of his cottage home, watching the lake ripple back and forth with every gust of wind or touch of his toes. He isn't sure which disturbed the water's calm surface more, but his face never stayed the same for long. The wind whipped his ebony locks around his chubby face, and he lightly frowned at this. He felt a few ribberways softly growling in the distance, low sounds emitting from their throats. The fog impaired his vision slighty, whisixess slowly seeping in around him. It was rare to see a time like this – quiet and serene – during the war. What was normally loud and dangerous was quiet and nearly too peaceful to be true. The final straw came when the fluttershy's danced their way around him, covering him in their soft glow. Despite the night's efforts to keep him calm, Sasuke couldn't shake the feeling of dread away from his shoulders. Nothing was ever this peaceful, nothing was ever this calm anymore.

Something was definitely wrong.

Being perceptive and bright as he was, he sauntered into the cottage and found his mother standing by the sink, dutifully washing dishes. Something was different about her, he noticed. When his mother did dishes, she always pulled her long, black hair into a ponytail behind her head, showing her pale face to the world. Her cheeks would be rosy and sweet, and her smile would be soft, maybe she would be humming herself a lullaby. She would have her dark bangs in her face, but that would be the only thing blocking her view.

Tonight, her hair laid in her face. Her cheeks were unseen and she was humming no song. Sasuke could not see her, but he knew she was not smiling. Judging by the way she was hunched over the soapy water, her shoulders slumped and her back tired, Sasuke would say that she'd been crying. Sasuke, loving his mommy so very much, asked in his tiny voice, "Mommy! What's wrong?" His dark eyes searched around the room for what could've caused his mother to be so sad. The woman in question turned to him, her deep grey eyes filled with unshed tears that she tried – failed – to blink away. She disgarded her bright yellow gloves and smiled at the small boy, taking him into her arms and holding him close to her.

"Hey, Sasuke," she cooed, bringing him close to her. She nudged her cheek with his, a sign of affection between the two. The three words often went unsaid in the Uchiha household, but not unfelt. It was always hard for Uchiha's to say it, so they showed it with small gestures and touches, each having their own meanings. Sasuke couldn't help but smile in his mother's embrace, her hot cheeks warming his own. "Mommy's fine, baby. Don't you worry about me," she said softly, putting him down. Sasuke disagreed, and he made his opinion known.

He crossed his small arms over his chest and huffed at her, "You're lying, mommy! I saw you crying!" Sasuke stared at her in a way that made her laugh slightly. She quickly undid her yellow apron, showing a wet brown shirt.

"Mommy got a little bit, t'is all, baby," she said, bending down to knee level. She silently stroked his face, a light smile appearing on hers. "You're so handsome, baby..." she said, giant tears welling in her eyes again. She quickly brushed them aside with the back of her hand, putting on a brave face. Sasuke heard footsteps coming towards them and quickly realized that his father was coming. His mother grabbed his face and looking him in the eyes, desperately, "Promise me that you'll never grow up. You'll always stay my baby?" Sasuke nodded his head quickly, earning a kiss on the forehead by his mother. His father walked into the room, his face sullen.

Whatever was wrong before was still wrong.

"I haven't been able to find him," his father said, his head bowed. His mother inhaled sharply, closing her eyes. "It doesn't mean anything, Miko. You know that, Miki. he could come back at any time," he said, his dark eyes serious. Sasuke looked at his mother, who was openly crying now, not bothering to wipe her tears with the back of her hands.

She glared daggers at her husband, and shoved his hand away from her. She seemed to radiate with anger, her whole body shaking furiously. She pointed a well manicured finger at his chest and hissed, _"My _son died fighting for _your sharingan. _I hope you're proud of yourself." She turned swiftly on her heel and walked away, her body shaking with what could be anger or despair.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was stunned by the sudden news. _Itachi's dead? _he thought, trying to wrap his still developing mind around it. There wasn't anyway Itachi could be _dead. _Death was comething permanent and scary, and Itachi was neither. Calm and gentle, with a sense of wander around him, he was never still. He could never _die, _could he? It wasn't real, was it? It couldn't be. Itachi told him that he'd always be around to protect him, there was no way he could just _die, _could he? In his small voice, he asked, "Itachi died?" His father shook his head.

"No, but we don't know where he is," his father said, his voice cold and distant.

"..." Sasuke was speechless. His wide eyes grew inches wider, and before he could think about his next move, he bolted out of the house, only his arrows strapped to his back.

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Sasuke wasn't sure how far he ran, but he knew that he was no longer in Uchiha territory. The trees became less dense and the land became flatter as he went on. What was once wood became steel and machinized, rolling hillside becoming smokey factories and buildings that seemed to touch the sky. His eyes looked around and he knew where he was—no man's land. It was the most dangerous place to be, because anyone could be an enemy. Names didn't matter in this place of inbetweens and uncertainty, and Sasuke was rightfully scared. One false step could end his life.

But then again, without Itachi, he was doomed. "Who can protect me if the one person who promised me isn't here?" he asked aloud, to no one in particular. He didn't see anyone out with him, but he could tell that he wasn't alone.

"Anyone, really," a voice said. Sasuke diverted his attention above him, and found a small girl floating on a wooden broomstick a few feet above him. She wore a pair of black shorts, green lace on the ends of them. The same color wove it's way around her corset, placing intricate bows on her sides. She was no older than him, he assumed, as she lowered herself to him. He could see that her face had the same roundness that his did, and her bright pink lips were glossy. She had the strangest coloring about her, her hair being a bright pink nearly blinding in all the darkness. It hung to her shoulders, and a green ribbor wrapped itself around her head. A bright, seafoam green washed its way into her eyes, seemingly luminescent in the moonlight.

It was obvious from the way she floated that she was an enemy – a witch. Her light and playful voice was probably a rouse to lure him and out and capture him, and it would've worked if Sasuke hadn't been so smart. "What if I don't want protection?" he asked, hoping to send her away.

"You just asked who would protect you," she pointed out, crossing her legs over her stick. She folded her arms across her chest and smiled at him, believing she'd won. "I could protect you," she offered, her green eyes wide.

"I don't want _your _protection," he said, content to make his merry way. The girl stopped him, flying in front of him.

"I'm your only option right now," she argued. "C'moooon, it's not that often that I get to see people my age," she pleaded, her eyes wide and watery. She clasped her hands together, staying on her broom with expert balance, control, and grace.

"You're not supposed to talk to me," he pointed out, which the girl only laughed at.

"I'm not supposed to talk to _anyone. _Humor me?" she said, following the boy as he carefully trudged through the mud. He decided that if he ignored the girl, she would go away. Testing his theory, he said nothing to her as she floated beside him. "At least tell me your name," she sighed.

"Sasuke," he said, curtly. His mother taught him that if a lady asked for your name you should always give it, no matter who the lady. He sighed softly, jumping over what he assumed to be a trap. He didn't expect the 'trap' to be a decoy, and accidently tripped the actual trap, sending explosives off in every direction. He did the only thing he could, and crouched down, covering his face with his arms.

The girl leaped off of her broom and yelled, "Watashitachi o mamore!*" A giant purple shield appreared between her fingers, covering the girl's entire body, and keeping young Sasuke out of harm's way. He seen the way sweat beaded on her forehead and she grit her teeth, but said nothing of it. Instead, he watched the girl, amazed by her fast reaction and speedy spell casting, a difficult trait apparently mastered by this young girl. She turned her head to him and said softly, "This barrier won't hold forever." Her arms grew unstable quickly and blood dripped down her chin. The red was bright against her clear, pale skin and he knew that she was _not _supposed to be bleeding like this. "Run, kid," she whispered, her eyes closing gently. She fell backwards, and the sheild flickered for a second, wavering between existence and non.

Making up his mind, he picked up the unconcious girl and ran as quickly as his little legs could carry him, tapping into his chakra reserves and pumping it quickly. "I don't know who you are," he said, looking down at the pinkette in his arms, who'd exhausted herself, "I don't know why you were out there...but I'm not letting you down."


	18. thane

_Summary : I'm gonna break rule number five just to spite her._

_Notes : I've tried to post this sooner, but my computer derped and deleted it. Bonus points to who can name where I got the name of the kingdom from._

_Thane_

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I don't know an appropriate way to start this tale, but that's only because I don't know where our story begins. More specifically, where _her _story begins and mine ends. I don't know how or when, but she sauntered into my life when I needed her most, and I hadn't even known it yet. I don't mind, because I don't know much anyway. Nothing, really. I don't know much about politics, I don't know much about grace, and I don't know anything about love. She said she'd teach me, little by little, but little is turning into a _big _thing. The girl's as pretty as a lalalasiosa tree and as honest as a mirror, and doesn't spare me from anything.

I'm supposed to be the hero of this desolate wasteland, Fife. It's cloudy and sullen, and overpopulated with people and overrun with monsters, but it's _my _job to protect it. When my brother passed, he left this place to me and trusted that I can restore the damage my treacherous uncle, Madara, caused. He told me that I could lift whatever curse he placed on the kingdom that draws beasts towards this place and rebuild. To prove this, he gave me his most treasured weapon, the demon blade Kusunagi. He had faith in me.

She has faith in me.

I don't have faith in myself. Why would I? I don't know how to run a kingdom, my parents did a shitty job at it, and my brother died too early for him to set an example. I'm almost completely alone in this, save for _her, _Sakura. Sakura the pretty girl who's busting her – _my –_ ass trying to get me into leading shape. She's been by my side ever since Itachi died, and shows no signs of giving up on me. She's smart, so I can't understand _why _she won't give up. I'm nothing special, like at all. I'm not all that moral, I'm a fantastic liar, and I really don't _want _to be the Thane of Fife. The name sounds too...stuffy. I don't want to be tied down to anything, especially a _job. _Yeah, it's am important job and offers a lot of power, but what's power if you can't use it to battle monsters and hunt demons?

It's a trap, that's what it is.

I don't want to be trapped.

I want to have _fun. _Preferrably with the pretty pink haired girl trying to teach me how _not _to have fun. I'm eighteen, isn't that what boys are supposed to do at my age? Fight with cool demon-swords with pretty girls?

If not, they should.

It's _fucking _rad.

"Sasuke!" said pretty girl says, poking her pink head into my room. Her bright green eyes scan the huge white room and she makes a clucking sound at the sight of Kusunagi lying on my bed, unsheathed. She gives me a harsh look and purses her lips. "Rule number three, appearances are everything," she said, pointing a deadly finger towards me. "Meet me in the blooms in three minutes and four seconds," she said, turning her back and walking out of the door.

I sigh softly, leaning back in my chair. She's going to _kill _me.

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.

.

I find her sitting on her knees in the blooms, wearing a bright yellow kimono. Sakura's at the garden table, serving herself a cup of, what I'm assuming to be, tea. She likes sitting in that spot because the sunlight reflects from the karimosa buds and onto her intricate outfits. Her long pink hair in pinned up in a traditional, elegant way that isn't lost on her. The smell is intoxicating, and she offers me a small, pink smile. She gestures to the otherside, and I sit on my knees on the otherside of the table. "Good afternoon, Sasuke-san," she says easily, sipping her tea quietly. I nod back at her, not saying a word. "What are the five rules to being a Thane?" she asks, pouring me a small cup of tea. She slides over with the ease of grace of a professional, and I look down at the brown liquid, trying to remember _what _she put in my drink.

"Rule number one : The people come first," I say, inhaling deeply. The smell is very vague, but I know it. She smiles back at me, and hands me a cookie. I don't touch my drink. "Rule number two : In battle, follow your heart. During peace, follow your mind." I take another whiff, the heat from the cup burning my nose slightly. Sakura notices this and smiles, but hides it behinds a bright yellow fan. She sips her tea and takes a bite of her cookie. I know better. "Rule number three : Appearances are everything. We went over that one this morning, Sakura."

She smiled brightly at me, her bright green eyes beaming. "I remember, Sasuke-san. Aren't you thirsty?" she peered, looking at my cup with mock disappointment. The pout in her lip and the concern in her eye were so well rehearsed I almost believed it.

Almost.

"No," I said in my most respectful tone, "I am not really thirsty, but I smell...almonds," I said, giving her a wicked smile. She gave me a proud one back. "Rule number four : People die all the time, don't be one of them."

"Don't you like almonds?" she pressed, pushing the cup closer to me.

"I'm not entirely fond of them," I replied. "Rule number five : Don't fall in love with you. Really, that's a stupid rule. I'll fall in love with whoever I want, whenever I want, and however I want," I said, dropping the politeness. She smirked back at me, undoing her kimono, revealing a black lacy shirt and tight black pants. With a quick sweep, she undid her up-do, letting her pink hair fall in waves.

"_I'm _off limits," she said, pulling her hair into a high ponytail.

"I wouldn't fall in love with you _anyway," _I said, a bit of a lie. If I wanted too, I _could _fall in love with her. Sakura's reliable, smart, and the most amazing human being I've ever met. Her only drawback is trying to _fucking _kill me every three days. "You put cyanide in my tea."

"Top of the class," she said, slipping on her brown gauntlets. She looked me into the eye and threw a punch aimed at my face.

"Why are you always trying to kill me, Sak? Like, what have I ever done to you?" I asked, doging her punches and retaliating with my own. The girl – sneaky little witch – ducked out the way and aimed another one for my gut.

"Killing people's what I do for a living, kid," she said, lifting her legs and connecting it with the side of my jaw. She aimed another to the other half of my face, but I caught her leg mid swing.

"You were an assassin when you were sixteen, Sakura. Now you're just a babysitter," I teased, throwing her leg down. She glared at me sharply, and threw a gloved punch that I wasn't ready for.

"Just don't fall in love, kid," she said, her black heels clicking away.

"I'm gonna do it anyway!" I holler back, watching her small form walk away from the reflective blooms.


	19. technicolor

_Summary : The day's Sasuke's world got color was the day he fell, literally, into a different world. _

_Notes : Last one with similarities to 18, 17, &amp; 16\. Fife came from the play MacBeth written by Shakespeare._

_Technicolor_

_._

_._

_._

On the day Itachi Uchiha went missing, Sasuke Uchiha's world was drained before his very eyes. He'll tell you himself about the mess of grey and white and black his world had become on April fourteenth, five years ago. About how the sky slowly metled away from bright blue to murky grey in a matter of seconds. He'll tell about how his mother became a shade of white unrecognizable to him, and about his father turning a shade of grey darker. He remembers clearly the sun shone white, and how the water became nearly invisible, save for the ripple it occasionally made. Sasuke won't tell you, however, how white his own fingertips looked then.

He won't tell you that he still doesn't see anything in color, because that would be a lie. It's true that the sky didn't return back to the bright blue he wanted, or the sun bursting yellow, but he does see color when he looks at his brother's favorite jacket. It was black leather, with red clouds lying against it. It isn't much, but it's the only thing that Sasuke sees in full color. The red is always so bright, so magnificent against the deep black, so beautiful that Sasuke understood, after two years of staring at it, why Itachi loved it so much.

Itachi was declared a missing person on April sixteenth, fourty-eigh hours after he'd been last seen, getting on the train to go to school. After that day, ten-year-old Sasuke began searching with the police to find him. When the officers said that he may have run off, Sasuke scoffed – Itachi would _never _leave without letting _him _know. At first, the search was contained to only Konoha, but after a few days, they expanded towards Suna.

After Suna, the police stopped searching. They said they'd keep the family updateded if they got any leads, which Sasuke's parents took with heavy hearts, because that meant they've given up on Itachi. His trail had went cold, and the boy was nowhere to be found – anywhere to be lost. Still, Sasuke never gave up searching for him. The ten-year-old had nothing to go on but faith, but he searched for his brother with the dilligence and competence of an expirenced detective – or so he thought.

After fourty-two weeks, Sasuke woke up to the bright white sun shining in his dull, grey room. He was no longer ten, but eleven, and Itachi hadn't returned home. His bright onyx eyes peeled open and to his amazement, he found a letter lying on his dresser, in Itachi's perfect handwriting. The boy dashed with speed he hadn't known he possesed, and snatched the letter open. "Dear Little Brother," he read quietly, "'Or are you big now? It seems I fell on my walk to the train, and when I arose, I had to fight a bird the size of a train! Isn't that grand, little (big?) brother?! By coincidence, I was destined to become king of this land, and so I have. I shall send for you in a short time. Just be aware, don't be alert. Carefree is the ultimate carefulness, you know? Don't be alarmed if you see a talking rabbit, or someone else in the mirror. I may send a tornado to fetch you, though. Ask for the girl with the bubblegum hair and pearl smile, she'll guide you. Till our next meet, _Itachi.'"_

It was safe to assume that Sasuke was more alert that ever, always searching for bunnies who could speak and mirrors that didn't work. The sight was quite amusing for his mother, who thought his imagination – and magic of being young – returned to him. A bright smile crossed her face, and she began humming to herself again. His father thought the opposite, that his son had finally lost his mind. He didn't say anything, but tossed his son a pitying glance as he chased down a white hare.

Neither of them knew about the letter.

Soon, Sasuke himself forgot about the letter. That is, until he received another one, fourty-two weeks later. This one told of what adventures Itachi had been on, in the same contradictory fashion. It warned of green and white witches, saying that they're good in their own ways, but bad most others. Again. it mentioned being blissfully unaware was the key to perfect alertness, but this only served to confuse Sasuke.

This continued on for five years.

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.

.

In the fifth year, Sasuke never gave up looking for Itachi, though he ran out of ideas of where the boy could possibly be. As lost as he was, the now fifteen-year-old Sasuke had to admit, his brother was crafty. On this fateful day, he now walked home, his hands in his pockets, thinking of _anywhere _his brother could be. When a black rabbit passed the corner of his eye, he paid it no attention, entirely too focused on his thoughts to focus on his surroundings. _He could've left the country by now, _he thought, his head turned towards the white sun.

"I know something you don't know," a voice said, deep and even. It effectively snapped Sasuke out of his thoughts and he peered down, surprised to see a ball of black fluff staring back at him with shining, black eyes. Sasuke's eyes widened, and before he let out a yelp.

Unsurprisingly, the animal yelped too. "Animals don't talk!" Sasuke said, pointing a finger at the hare. The hare took a few steps back, and stood on it's back legs.

"People don't understand me!" the hare said back, covering it's mouth. "You're not a person!" he immediately concluded, glaring back at him with now orange, glowing eyes. "Unless you're Itachi's brother, then you're definitely a person. Though, most people can't understand a word I say," the hare continued, chattering away. Sasuke cocked his head to the side and mouthed something, but the bunny was too caught up in his own words tp consider his. "It's saddening, really. I have bunch of things to say, and I can hold intelligent conversation as well. It's the humans who can't hold a conversation, lemme tell ya," the rabbit spoke easily, propping itself upon Sasuke's leg. "If anyone of 'em spoke to me, I'd go MAD!"

"You're speaking to me now, though," Sasuke pointed out, picking up the fluffy ball. It's orange eyes, that Sasuke noted with great intrerest that he could see _vividly, _went wide before it screamed again.

"PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND ME!" it yelled again, trying to furiously scamper out of Sasuke's hold. Suddenly, he stopped and opened his mouth again, "Unless you're Itachi's brother, then you're definitely a person," he repeated. Before he could utter a single word else, Saske covered his mouth.

"I _am _Itachi's brother – where is he?" he asked. The rabbit scoffed and crossed his arms.

"You know I've been searching high and low for you my enitre _life, _right?" the black bunny said, gnawing at Sasuke hand, that held him dangerously high above the ground. Sasuke only rolled his eyes at the talkative rabbit. "Seriously," he continued, swatting the teenager's hand away with his own paw, "I spent the last _hour and a half _searching for your ass." Sasuke cocked his head to the side, but said nothing as he put the rabbit down.

"Where's Itachi?" he asked, peering down at the rabbit with onyx eyes. The orange gaze blinked a few times before cocking his head to the side.

"...Que?" he said, his large black ears flopping over. Sasuke sighed and mentally slapped himself, grasping the rabbit again.

"Itachi. I-tach-i. My _brother. _Where is _he?" _Sasuke said slowly, glaring at the small animal. The rabbit blinked quickly, and licked the man on his finger.

"Whaddya wanna see Itachi for?" the rabbit asked, nibbling on his finger a bit. Dropping the rabbit and sighing, Sasuke sat on the cool grass and explained his situation to the small animal. Every detail of the last five years came pouring out of his mouth faster than he thought it would, and Sasuke made attempt to sugarcoat. Unsurprisingly, the honestly was meat with a simple, "...Que?"

_It's going to be a loooong day, _Sasuke thought, a weary smile on his face.

"Hey, I'm Obito," the rabbit said, snuggling under him. "I'm kinda like your uncle."

"...Que?"

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.

After fourty-two minutes of playing back-and-forth with the furry creature, the newly formed duo were on their way back to Underland, where King Itachi Uchiha and his Round Table of mercenairies ruled gently. It was a vast, lush kingdom with two dividens, each home to a different set of people, animals, and plantlife. The dividens seemed completely different from each other, almost seperate worlds. Mystailia was full of life and wonder and the streets were lined with gold and pearls. The citizens were jolly and young, all full of glee that comes with curiosity. The trees glistened under the bright blue sun, and everything was held eith such delicate care that nothing could afford to be abused. This is where Itachi was. Jolisoum was light, but very frigid, a heavy blanket of snow covering the ground year long. It was perfect for centars and frigouacs, thick-furred creatures that spent most of their time wandering and fixing. The people there were kind, yet distant, and mainly kept to themselves – but wouldn't hesistate to protect their neighbor. This is where the chancellor, Hatake Kakashi, and his beautiful daughter, a girl with hair like carnations and teeth like snow, (Obito had said that she would have his babies someday), resided.

That would be their first stop, considering all of Itachi's letters said to talk to a girl with pink hair and white teeth. While the diveden was not hard to find once you were in Underland, the whole kingdom was much more complicated. The kingdom itsel was protected by magic, a force sacred and well-known throughout the land. The band of mercenairies and Itachi constantly supplied magic in the air and pumped it through the land, for everyone to use at their disposal. This was a great effort, and completely appreciated by the population. It kept them safe, and kept them happy.

Unfortunately for Sasuke, it made it almost impossible to get _in _to Underland. The only way was through either a series of rabbit holes that led to Mystailia or a mirror that led to the heart of Jolisoum. This is what Obito was leading Sasuke to.

"Seriously, that bat-shit witch turned me into a rabbit because I slept with her daughter like, five times," the bunny said, openly talking to his nephew. "It's not like she _didn't _want me, yafeelme, but _NOOOOO_ suddenly _I'm _the bad guy. It's okay, cause when I see that old bitch again, I'll kill her."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sasuke asked, covering his forehead with his hand. His was throughly not interested in the small rabbit, and cared not for his tales of perverted adventures.

"You're like my son, it's mandatory that you know," he said, brushing off an invisible speck of dirt that appeared on his head. "But shut up now, you see that?" he said, pointing towards a sheet of glass lying against a tree.

"Who doesn't?" Sasuke replied, shrugging, "What's so special about it?"

"I _said _shut up," the rabbit said, glaring at the boy. "Now, what do you think that is?" he asked, looking at Sasuke with expectant eyes. Sasuke stood quiet for a while, before Obito bit his finger.

"What the hell?!" Sasuke exclaimed, holding his finger.

"Dude," the bunny said, an exasperated look falling over his face, "Shut the hell up and jump into the mirror." With that, he hopped into the mirror, warping into it and disappearing completely from Sasuke's sight.

"Where the hell did he go?" Sasuke asked, dipping a finger into the mirror. He was started to see the surface rippling, and quickly pulled out. The other side feklt cold, he noticed. Cold and kind.

"NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME, KID," Obito called from the other side, his voice distorted and strange.

With hesistation, Sasuke stuck his finger back in, and let himself be pulled into the mirror, seeing the green waro and blend with snowy white.

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.

.

On the otherside, Sasuke was surpirised to see that Obito had scampered off somewhere, his footprints still fresh in the snow. Tall trees with white ack and black tops surrounded him, and he felt suffocated and claustrophobic in the open space. Standing, he brushed the light snow off of his jeans and began walking north, the only direction he knew. It wasn't long before he ran into a someone. This someone had pale, slender legs but wore heavy black boots, and a short red jacket, the hood blocking them from the cold. "'Scuse me," Sasuke said, tapping the stranger and _praying _that they were friendly.

When the stranger – girl – turned around, he seen the coolest pair of green eyes in his life. A pair of plump, pink lips turned upwards and revealed bright white teeth. She nodded at him, a signal for him to continue talking. "Do you know a girl with pink hair?" he asked, hoping by any chance she knew. She gave him a skeptical look, but started to remove her hood. Sasuke immedaitely looked down, embarrased that she didn't say anything, "I know it's stupid, I don't have her name or anything, but my brother told me she was important. If you know anything about her at _all, please_ tell me." He heard the light crunch of snow, and she bent her head down to meet his downcast eyes.

A shock of pink greeted him.

Then a cool blade pressed against his throat. In an instant, she tackled him to the cold ground and strattled him, using her weight to keep the dagger at his neck. She opened her mouth so speak, but no words came out. Pink lips moved, but she was inaudible.

Mute.

She quickly decided to write in the snow, her finger producing a large stick. She carefully sketched into the snow, and angled Sasuke's head to he could see. The character was sloppily written, but he knew it; name. "You wanna know my name?" he asked, earning a quick nod. "Sasuke, I'm Sasuke. Itachi's brother. You know Itachi, righ? He said you did.." he said, searching her face for an once of mercy. Those cool green eyes widened and she quickly got off, bowing her head. Quickly, the sign for forgiveness was etched into the snow. "It's fine," he said, rubbing the part of his neck where the blade had been. "Just help me get to Itachi."

The girl nodded back, pulling out a pair of fingerless gloves from her pocket. A determined look gleamed in her eye, and she smile brightly backat him, a mouth full of pearls. She grabbed his hand softly, motioning him to follow her.

As they left, he noticed pink petals float down from the black tree-tops.


	20. enigma

_Summary : I never met a girl like Sakura, and I never will again._

_Notes : TWENTY CHAPTERS OHMIGAWD. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! I love you guys so much, you don't even unhderstand. I can't believe this got 37 reviews, 16 faves and 15 follows. Seriously, you guys rock. The last few chapters all had a few things in common._

_1.) All were centered around Sasuke._  
_2.) All of Sasuke's actions were in response to a unseen Itachi._  
_3.) That being said, guess who's gonna be in the next chapter..?_

_Continuation of chapter 3._

_You're an Enigma_

She stared at up me, her striking eyes open and clear to my dull, dark ones. She was shaking, probably from the chilliness of the night and from the fright she must've gotten when she died. Her small chest heaved up and down rapidly, her blue bow lips parted gently. Her clothes were wet and clung to her small body, the dress slightly torn around her waist and a large bruise was forming on her throat. She would've looked just as she did when she was alive if it wasn't for the ethereal glow around her.

It's amazing, how being dead makes everything seem more alive. The girl was utterly transparent before me, I could see into the depth of her soul with a simple glance in her direction. Her face was shockingly pretty, and she moved closer to me, with a hesistent feel in her movements. With a pale hand, she stroked my face, "Am I dead?" she asked, her voice light and soft. This was incredibly odd, because the newly dead normally don't touch anything. A state of denial lets them refuse to acknowlege that things can exist without them. It's slightly saddening, but it's understandable, to a certain degree. We all want to be important, don't we?

Slowly, the brown air wafting arpund us dispersed, and rearranged itself into a greenish-yellow color. Walnuts turned into something lighter, airier. The smell was everywhere, but nowhere all at once. The girl kept her goldenly green eyes focused on mine, her cold hand never leaving my skin. They sparkled with something unnatural, but utterly amazement. Her bow lips looked at me with a small, but sincere smile. In an instant, her smile spread, and I felt my own lips quirking up lightly.

She was curious. I nodded at her, "Yeah, you're dead." I put the words as gently as I could, without coddling her. Spirits normally don't react well when they find out, and I've learned that coddling is going about it the wrong way. I expected this girl to put up a fight, insist and deny and prove that she was still alive. The look in her eye grew, but I didn't see any resistence in the way she stared at me. She seemed to be open, and if her aura told me anything, it was that she was _desperate_ to know anything more.

"You're not dead," she said stated back, with a cock of her head. The long tresses tipped out of her shelter of green and appeared pink in the moonlight. I almost reacehd out to touch them – to touch _her – _but I restrained myself. She was something new, something delicate. Too fragile for my rough hands to mar and break with bleakness that she has never heard of. This girl must've been something wonderous when she was alive, it's written all over her face. Every soft, but determined movement, every time those beautifully decorated eyes glanced up at mine, every quirk of bluish-pink lips. If I touched this girl, she'd be ruined. She'd break under my hand, a bit too heavy and too _alive _for a charming creature such as herself to handle. Is this what a crush was? Fearing that she'd be crushed by me? "I'm going to have a look at myself," she announced as she stood, walking away from me and towards the river the trees worked so hard to protect.

Just like that, she was gone. Only the undefineable scent of her was left in the air, and it wafted around until I followed it. Followed her.

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She sat at the edge of the river, watching with mild interest, as her cold body bobbed up and down in the water. There, the green eyes were wide and bloodshot, her mouth parted gently. Her pink hair was wet and floated about her, almost a halo of some sort. Her dress was sopping wet, and gently, the girl pulled herself out the water. "Sakura." The word was short and simple, but I understood. I nodded at her, and bent down next to her. I was surprised when a seen a tear drip from her face and hit the water.

The atmosphere turned blue and smelled of salt. The trees seemed to crowd around her, and before I knew it, she was sobbing in her hands. It was odd, she seemed to serene before. Calm and composed, but wanting to know more about the living world around her. Before I can stop myself, I grab her hand and pull her into me, in an awkward attempt at a hug. "Sasuke," I say, pulling her in. She's small and this hug is cramped and too tight for her, but she doesn't break. Her porcelin skin doesn't crack, her bright, delicate features don't change because of my bleakness, hard ones.

She wrapped her arms around me and cried into my chest.

"Am I going to be okay?" she asked, burying her face in my shirt. The salty smell grew stronger, but the blue disappated into an uncertain grey.

"I have no idea," I responded, and only felt her cling tighter to me.


	21. playthings

Summary : And in that moment, you fell in love.

Notes : He's here :)

_Playthings_

It wasn't completely obvious to anyone why Uchiha Sasuke was in such a foul mood on June thirtieth, but your older brother could sense it a mile away. Yes, you're a moody teenager, and was often quiet and seemed lonesome, but you never walked anywhere with a frown etched onto your marble face. You are made of steel, stone, and nails, but you let any weakness show in your face. Your eyes were always shining and the deepest grey, your chin up high, the corners of your mouth either itching into a smirk or perfectly straight. No matter what, Uchiha Sasuke never frowned.

Itachi took it upon himself to figure out why you broke your self-imposed rule. Rapping gently on your door twice before entering, he cleared his throat. He was met with a soft glare coming from the younger boy. "What's the matter, darling little brother?" he inquired, the glare not fazing him. Itachi's softer eyes scanned the room quickly, finding the room dark. The window was closed and shades drawn, you sitting at your computer, your head bobbing up and down to the tempo of your music. Your browser didn't display your list of downloads, but this desktop wallpaper, an old picture of your girlfriend – not so much as an _ex, _but you're _certainly _not an item now – her bright green eyes smiling at you, who frowned back. Itachi smiled at the scene, and sat on the boy's bed.

"Why do you do that, Itachi?" you asked, swiveling in your chair. The older Uchiha cocked an eyebrow at his brother and motioned his brother to continue, his teal nails catching your eyes briefly. You continued, "You knock, I don't let you in, and you come in anyway. It's a direct contradiction to knocking. Like 'Hey, I see that you wanna be alone, but screw your feelings I'm coming in'. Why do you do that? Why screw my feelings?" Itachi smiled softly and scoffed, ruffling his younger brother's head. You looked up at him and almost smiled, but said nothing more.

"You're deflecting the question, little brother," he stated calmingly, a light smile gracing his tired face. His grey eyes were locked with the green ones on the screen, her smile making his little brother's frown disappear. _Teenagers are such complicated beings, _Itachi thought to himself, pondering the details of his little brother's relationship with the pinkette that lived four blocks down the road. He remembers seeing the girl in her youth, bright-eyed and excitedly telling about her parent's bakery – how the decor walked around when everyone left, cakes icing themselves, and oven turning itself off when all was done. She was a beautiful child, and grew into a lovely young women, a little too wise for anyone to understand. All white teeth and bright green eyes, with gair the color of candy, she would still sometimes talk about her godfather's toystore that replaced her parent's bakery – her parents had died some years ago. She said the shop was still alive, even more so now, you just had to believe to see it.

He hadn't heard from the pretty girl in a while, and he had an inkling that you hadn't either. _It'd explain his angsty mood_, Itachi reasoned to himself. _Was Sasuke finally feeling the lonlieness of being alone? _Itachi's smiled lessened and hje placed his chin upon his brother's head, only now noticing that you were carrying on a conversation with him. With a sigh, he reached down and covered his brother's mouth. "I think you're lonely, little brother," he declared bluntly. "I also think it'd do you well if you applied at Hatake's up the street."

This earned him a sharper glare from his younger brother – everyone knew that Hatake was absolutely nuts, and his god-daughter was not too pleased with you as of late. _Stupid ideas, brother, _you berated in your head. "You're a moron," you concluded, standing up. Itachi smirked at this action, looking at the slight twist in you's mouth. You then grabbed your jacket and marched out the room, throwing a knowing look towards your brother.

"You'll thank me for this, little brother," Itachi commented, letting his eyelids droop over his eyes, blacking out the rest of the world.

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.

.

Sakura Haruno was not one to be surprised by anything, life was full of surprises so she'd expect nearly everything to happen, but this was simply _outstanding._ She was utterly shocked and amzed at the sheer sight of you in her beloved store. It was nearly impossible, but it happened, and she could not be anymore amazed. The boy she adored was standing in the toystore she adored, looking at her with a face that almost read, 'I adore you.' Almost, simply because Uchiha Sasuke was ureadable, but Sakura was smart – she'd only gotten that glance a few times before, and you spoke those words.

Really, it's been far too long since she heard you say anything like that to her, but she wasn't one to complain. At least, not aloud.

She let her green eyes skim over you; you looked upset earlier, but now you are perfectly fine. Your hands reached past hers, deliberately touching her knuckles as you grabbed an application. She looked up at you curiously, her pink lips slightly apart. She watched as you filled out the application cautiously before speaking up, "What do you want, Sasuke?" Her voice was light and graceful, but full of confience. You cocked an eyebrow up, and smirked at the candy-colored girl behind the register.

_You, _you thought regretfully, placing the application in front of her. Again, you were sure to brush her knuckles, and sent a wink her way. "A job," you said, too casually for her to believe you. She gave you a funny look, but that all but disappeared after you grabbed her hands, softly but desperately. "Think you have any positions..?" you said, giving her a sneaky look. She blushed slightly, but took your form.

"If you really want the job," she started, taking your application and putting it in a drawer, "it's yours. Just help me lock up at ten." Her voice sounded disinterested, and she looked with mild intrigue, moving her pink bangs out of her eyes.

"It's a date, then," you said, walking out of the door. Sakura looked at your retreating form with a small smile, sighing wistfully.

"Don't be late like last time," she said as you walked away, the tinkling of the bell sounding behind you. For the first time this week, you actually felt excitement.

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.

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Of course, the ten o'clock hour arrived with haste, and you were sure not to be late. you met the girl at the door, shifting boxes from one end of the store to the other, in the most _Sakura _way possible, skipping along and humming a tune slightly. You knocked on the door gently before walking in – a trait you _refuse _to admit that you got from your brother – and the girl jumped slightly at the sight of you. "You scared me!" she admitted, covering her bare arms. They were etched in black spirals and daunting gold lines _Weird, _you thought, staring the girl over, who continued sweeping. _I never knew she had tatoos, _you thought, precariously looking her over. "You're early," she said, walking over to the front door and locking it, not sparing you a single look.

"I didn't want to disappoint on my first day," you said back, watching her curiously. You couldn't take your eyes off of the pink haired girl whom you was smitten with. She was incredibly, unbelievable odd, with the nonsensical on her mind, but she'd managed to crack the marble in your face, making you _smile. _Not a smirk or line, but a genuine _smile. _When you noticed this several months ago, you instantly recognized her – and announced that she'd be your sweetheart, back then, she laughed and kissed your jaw. Sakura Haruno was something strange and unique, but you was enjoying every second of it. But tonight, something about her was different. Something about her was wonderous, mystical, even. You seen it in the way she walked, the way she smiled at you.

Something was going to happen tonight. Something big, and you knew that she didn't want you to miss it. The clock struck ten on the wall behind you, and the air in the room changed. What once smelled of plastic and chocolate was replaced with something lighter, sweeter even. Light and lemony, you concluded as you watched the girl spin around a few times, presumably dancing along with the music in her head. Sakura often did this, you remembered, twirled and spun when she got overwhelmed with emotion. What could she be feeling now?

After a second passed and the lemon scent overwhelmed you, you notice gold dust falling from the ceiling around you – around the still spining Sakura. Her shoulder length hair has grown to her elbows, and you notice pointed ears peeking out from beneath pink tresses. You're sure her ears have never been pointed, or long enough to peek out beneath her hair, but it does anyway. She looks at you, green eyes and a bright, gleaming smile, and laughs as she puts her arms around you.

In this moment, you fell in love. You have no idea what this girl is, but you know you'll never see anything more beautiful in your entire existence. Her smile is real and raw, as her canine teeth curve upwards. "You're so amazed, aren't you?" she asked, and you nod slightly, smiling along with her. She presses her pink lips to your , and you breathe her scent in, all lemons and all sweet. She blinks once and her pupils shift from perfectly round to non-existent, blinks again and the green changes to pink.

"What are you..?" you asked her, because you feel completely helpless and completely lost against the soft feel of her skin and bright beauty in her eyes. She cocks her head sideways, but smiles at you. She doesn't say anything, but presses a kiss to your temple. You closed your eyes for a second, and only for a second, but when you openthem, she had a pair of giant, beautifully fluttering wings. The black and gold lines completely disappeared from her arms, a mess of glitter and shimmer in their wake. The lines were transplanted on the pair of big, shining wings, black swirls and spirals taking over gold wings.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me," she said, her voice happily light. She gently hovers above the ground, her smile now spreading onto your face. You pull her down slightly, and tilt your head to meet her lips, which she responds to eagerly, the smile evident in the way she gently pecks you.

"Try me," you said, brushing her bangs out of her face. She blinked, her eyes shifting color everytime, but never losing their focus on you.

"I'm in love, and I'm not supposed to be."


	22. pretty rave vamp

Summary : He never liked nightlife, and she _was_ nightlife. Oh, what a mess Sasuke got himself into this time.

Notes : I kinda saw this in a dream, weird righ? Not my best work, but meeeh. Will refine.

_Pretty Rave Vamp_

The smell of sweat and salt radiated from the old warehouse, and bright neon strobe lights flashed through dusty windows. The five hundred year old vampire approached the place calmly, with a air of radical sophisication – not with joy. It was a trait he'd picked up in the early twentieth century, to be cool is not to show emotion. Stoicism is key to be noticed, and Uchiha Sasuke _wanted _to be noticed. He was looking for someone – almost like a friend, but not as close and twice as easy – and the only way to find her is to stand out. She did, after all. Everytime he closed his eyes, he imagined pretty green eyes and pretty white fangs, one set behind the other, and a pretty trail of blood dripping from her pale mouth. Bright pink hair and an early death made her coin the name Sakura, and no better name was ever found. The girl used to be something like a girlfriend back when she was a fledgling, but when France went downhill she ran as far as she could – to New York City, Sasuke believed.

In the century they spent together, Sasuke found himself attatched to the pinkette, and not by choice. Attatchments were dangerous in the gritty, bloody underworld they lived in, and as much as he hated to admit it, he wouldn't her to get herself into any trouble – especially the kind of trouble he got himself into. He gave her time to get herself together, and then some. Goodbyes were certainly not Sasuke's forte – neither were hello's. He knew it would take some time to get re-aquantied with Sakura – the girl was like a stick of dynamite – but he had enough of stalling. If he was ever going to get her back, he was going to do it now.

With determined steps, he walked into the warehouse, his red eyes scanning the crowd for bright pink. The bass pounded into his ears heavily, and an overwhelming smell of salt flooded his nostrils, temporairily stopping his sense of smell. Still, he moves through the crowd, because he _knows _that shye's here. Sakura always loved parties and was a stellar dancer, no matter the century. She was adaptable, and could blend into a dirty place like this with ease. Really, it was only a matter of time before Sasuke found her.

What would happen after that would only be decided when it happened. As for planning ahead, Sasuke was never to keen on that, either, preferring to rely on insticts to get him out of a sticky situation. It's worked most of the time in the past, except the time he died, but that was a different story. Sakura was a different story as well, the girl knew all his tricks and ways around him. Something of an anomoly, she seemed irrovacably in love with him, but just out of reach.

Sasuke felt a light tap on his shoulder and quickly turned around, seeing no one behind him, and felt annoyed. The salty smell was starting to get to him, the lights were blinding him, and he couldn't find his pink-haired, would-be, almost ex-girlfriend.

That is, until she walked up to him, flashing a small black berry in between her teeth. She flashed a pretty fanged smile and said, "Belladonna. They're pretty sweet." She eyed him with those glowing, green eyes and reached into her corset, a bright blue with white stripes. She produced another berry and beckoned Sasuke to open his mouth, which he complied too without fuss.

"You used to make tea out of the leaves," Sasuke noted, puncturing the berry with his own pair of fangs, letting the juice drip on his tongue. "You loved it." Sakura nodded at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She tilted her head to the side softly, her eyes sparking with a familiar stare.

"What the hell are you doing here, Uchiha? Paris not to your liking anymore?" she asked, her slight French accent slipping through her lips. A pout weighed on her lips and a blush covered her face, but she held fast to him. She smelled of salt and smoke, a light sweetness around her – not unlike the city itself. "If I recall, it was too beautiful to leave. Poverty and disease are wonderous things, no?" she asked, spite underneath her even voice.

"It lost the most beautiful thing about it," Sasuke replied, and Sakura's head popped up, interested. "It was charming while it lasted, but it's downfall was harsh, though expected. I'd much rather explore Central Park, if that would be alright with you." Sakura smirked at this, but lifted herself to his ear.

"You're so fucking lame," she whispered, dragging him out the warehouse and into the night.


	23. first day

Summary : The first day of training school brings trouble for Dragon Sasuke and Mage Sakura.

Notes : Something fun, y'know?

_First Day_

Sakura couldn't help but feel bad as her mother squeezed the breath out of her. Her arms were locked around her daughters back too hard for it to be considered normal, and the slight heaviung that came from the older women demonstrated to everyone – because _everyone _watched – what this meant. While Sakura ignored it and plasted a forced, pearly smile on her face, Mama Haruno wasn't letting go. "M-My b-b-baby's _leaving _me!" she wailing, clinging on to the teenagers shirt, sobbing a little _too _loudly for Sakura to be comfortable. The woman desperately held on top her, showing no sings of letting the girl go. "You s-s-sure that you d-don't want to w-wait another year?" she said, pulling back, a large smile on her face. "You don't have to leave if you don't want too." Sakura shook her head and took this opportuninty to take a step back, towards the school and _away _from her very loud and very emotional mother, who attracted a small crowd. With an embarrassed glance, Sakura smiled at the crowd.

"No, mom, I _want _to do this," Sakura said, opening up her right palm. In a flutter of silver dust and golden beams, a small orb, no bigger than the size of her eye, appeared. It reflected vivid splashed of color, all connected to a bright white center. The act was small, but stunned the crowd around her. With a cool breath, the teenager blew onto the orb, sending into the atmosphere above where it danced around, before collasping onto itself and sending particles of dust and dreams everywhere. "I want to learn how to make more things like that, mom," Sakura said, her pink lips speading into a smile across her cheeks, a flush growing. "Bigger things, beautiful things, mom. Can't you see it?" she asked, green eyes going dreamy. A different pair of green, a wiser, older pair shone with pride and acceptance.

"Yeah, Sakura. I can see it clearly," she said, winding her arms around her daughter, pulling her for a tight embrace. "It's beautiful, y'know, your gifts. It took a little time and a lot of hard work, but they're beautiful," she breatehd out to the younger girl, her blond hair touching the girl's pink hair. Gently, Sakura pulled her hands behind her mother's back, reciprocating the hug. With a sharp intake, she pulled away, her hands gripping the girl's shoulders, "Promise me you'll work hard no matter what."

Sakura smiled at her and gave a wink, "I always do. One hundred and fifteen percent, right?" The teenager stepped away and towards the school, using her gift to produce a silver cord that pulled her blue suitcase for her. The crowd around her dispersed, but some looked at the girl in slight amazement, the silver cord glitter and gleamed in the broad sunlight. Upon closer inspection, the cord lost bits and pieces of it's fibers along the way and would need to be replaced soon, but the sheer sparkle of it demanded attention. Arriving at the door, she placed her hands to her lips and blew a small kiss to the skies, watching the lip imprint of pink and red and gloss and glitter lazily float upwards. A small 'pop!' started it's descent downwards, and the color splashed onto the cement, marking her presence.

Sakura could feel it in her bones as she walked into the building – today was going to be a good day.

.

.

.

Sasuke, on the otherhand, felt differently. This was his second year at the academy, and too much like Sakura, his mother was not willing to let him go. While Sasuke had his brother to help him leave peacefully, Uchiha Mikoto could _not _be pacified. "THERE'S NO CHANCE IN HELL I'M LETTING MY DARLING LITTLE BOY LEAVE ME _AGAIN!" _she screeched on the sidewalk, dragging Sasuke back to the car by his ear, her red nails digging in painfully. Her red heels clicked with every step, and her shimmering, scale-covered covered white legs attracted attention – but her loud voice attracted more. "Why would I even let you _come back?! _That was so _stupid _Mikoto! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she said, putting her free hand against her forehead.

"You let him go bcause he's a teenager and wanted to know more about himself, _by himself," _Itachi reminded, leaning against the trunk of the car with the coolness only older brothers possessed. Sasuke shot him a grateful glance, but his mother was undeterred. Pulling off her sunglasses, she shot the two boys a painful red-eyed glare. The two immediately recoiled, but Sasuke was the first to brush it off. As the younger, less talented, more socially awkward, and more problematic brother, he was used to his mother's annoyed, red glare. "He had a great time, too."

"_Don't _remind me, son. T'was the dumbest thing I did," she muttered, pulling the boy back to the car. "Damn sure won't happen again!" She pointed a thin, scale covered finger at the door and twisted her red lips in a smirk.

"Sasuke's a teenager, mother. If he wants to go back to the school – where he earned top grades and enjoyed himself – it should be his choice. I do not want to see how moody he'll be when he gets back home," Itachi said, throwing a knowing glance at Sasuke, who pouted on the spot. "Nor will I want to see Father's..."

"—HAVE FUN, SASUCAKES!" Mikoto said, a bright smile on her red lips. She eagerly jumped in the car, a small frown on her face. She put on her glasses, but Sasuke saw the way her eyebrows knitted themselves together. "You know I hate it when he's right," she said, looking at the teenager with a slight apologetic tone. "But he _is_ right. Just...don't overdo it, kid. You're smart and all, but lighten up. It's okay to be a teenager, you know," she said, throwing him a small smile. She smiled at him, and made him walk over to her, which he complied to, seeing as he wasn't going to see her again in over a month. Without warning or hesistation, she pressed her lips to his cheeks, inadvertadly burning him in the process.

"_Mom!" _he groaned, wiping off what he hoped wasn't his mother's lipstick. The older woman laughed hautily, smiling at the youngster.

"I love you, kid," she said, a small smile on her face.

"Love you too," Sasuke said, walking away from the car. He heard the sound of tired screeching and rubber burning, and knew that his family was gone. Though he wasn't too sure how to feel about that, he smiled – as close to a smile that you were going to get from him, anyway. He stopped in the square with a big blue suitcase, slightly amazed by the sight a mere three feet before him.

There, right before the entrance, a bright pink-haired girl blew a kiss towards the sky. He'd seen people throw kisses away to loved ones, but he never seen a kiss _travel – _it looked every bit of what he thought it would. Pink and glittering, with an overwhelming amount of charm and magic radiating from it. He watched as it drifted up and up, like a balloon with an endless amount of helium, intent on finding it's place in the very blue sky.

And just like a balloon, it disappeared out of his sight easily and freely. It'd taken the liberty to implode and settle itself on the ground around her. _A beautiful failure, _he thought, his lips quirking upwards involuntairily. Seeing the girl walk into the school, confidence as evident as the green in her eyes, he snapped out of his daze and followed, completely entranced by her.

.

.

.

This enchantment lasted for a short while, only until he ran into the girl in the hallway. Quite literally, ran into her. It was a mistake, he was texting his brother about the extraordinary sight he saw, and she was talking on the phone with her mother. Disoriented, she responded with an attack, and sent a bolt of electricity at his ankles, whilst preparing a thick bubble of silver magic to contain herself in.

She didn't realize that this bubble would sever the thin cord of gleaming silver or make her drop her phone.

Upon seeing her mistake, she bounced back and blushed a bright pink. "I'm so sorry," she professed, her hands over her heart. The girl bit her lower lip slightly and looked at him with wide, green eyes. Her apology came out muffled due to her thick silver shield, but Sasuke understood easily. "Let me help you," she said, reaching down to pick up the two phones that fell, but she only succeeded in pushing them further apart. With a sigh, she fell to her bum in her bubble, crossing her arms over each other. "Mind getting me out of this?" she asked, motioning around herself, hoping he could pop it.

"I got it," Sasuke said, sucking in a breath. When he let go, a small ball of fire came out with hot air, and it attatched itself onto the bubble. In a few seconds, the bubble finds itself a mess of silver and water, on the floor without a purpose. The girl smiles at him and says a silent thanks before handing him the phone closest to him and doing the same for herself.

It's when she's renewing the silver cord that his fingers graze hers, an act innocent enough for her almost not to notice. But she does – and her whole body reacts with her. She could feel her breath catching in her chest, his warm fingers touching her silver tipped ones. It's warm and bright, and all she can think about is the gentle way she's barely being _touched –_ for once, _she _is amazed. Her bright green eyes lock with his red ones and she _smiles_ for there isn't anything better to do at that moment. She feels a shock runs though her body and hopes it didn't phaze him, though it looks like he didn't notice it at all.

"I saw you in the front," he says after a pregnant pause, and she smiled brightly at him, for the umpteenth time. He blushes at the memory of it, but continues, "I saw it – the kiss. It was impressive." The girl turns a shade of pink she couldn't imagine, but wills herself to speak anyway.

"Thank you – it's been something I've been working on," she admitted, the hazy blush growing a shade darker. "Sakura," she said softly, gripping his hand a touch harder. "My name's Sakura."

"Mine's Sasuke," he retorted, evenly. He stood abruptly, leaving the girl a little dazed a little confused on the ground. "I'll be seeing you around, Sakura." He whispered it like a promise, and saw the girl hold onto to the words that dripped from his lips.

.

.

.

"Hello?"

_"WHO ARE YOU AND WHY DO YOU HAVE MY BABY'S PHONE?!"_


	24. 24

_Summary : _

_Notes : Kinda in a rut._

_Characters : Sakura, Sasuke; Mentions of Itachi_

_Rating : T_

_Drunk _

_._

_._

_._

I don't know exactly when she came into my life, but I do remember the very first time she caught my attention. It wasn't intentional – most things aren't intentional with her, I've realized – but she snuck her way into my gaze a misty, dark night and never left my sight since. It was late spring, when rain was heavy and fog was thick. The fireflies bounced back and forth, giving the night an eerily soft glow that was slightly stunning. It became a nightly habit of mine to walk by the lake and watch the fish swim lazily about, because they weren't worried about anything. I couldn't help but feel slightly envious of the fish – precisely because they weren't worried about anything. There were a million things to worry about, I've decided that after Suna attacked Konoha and the Hokage was assassinated. I've lead the army to several decisive battles – not a single comerade lost – but I know that my luck is bound to run out soon. I've accepted this truth for a while now, and I can only hope that it isn't a member of my platoon. My father entrusted a single squad to I, but my brother had far too many to handle on his own, so I offered to take half of his. T'was the least I could do, I thought, as the war has taken the largest toll on him. Only five years older than me, Itachi was rotting from the inside out. He'd caught a sickness in Ame, where he was stationed for three months, and refused to take leave. "It's just a touch of something," he'd told me, though I didn't believe him.

But that's a completely different story. This story is about the girl with vibrant pink hair and sparkling green eyes. The girl that fights like a dancer, but dances like a fencer. The girl that knows her way around an amoury and around a hospital. This is about Sakura Haruno, the girl that caught my attention and makes my heart beat a little faster than what it should. It's about the very night it happened.

The fog made even staring into invisible waters the most strainious of tasks, and I were forced to activate my bloodline trait in order to do it. I could feel the black pinwheels spinning wildly against the slowly forming blood iris, and it bothered me slightly, but I deal with it. It's only for the fish, I reasoned with myself. Of course, the next question was why waste my eyesight on _fish, _but I refuse to answer myself for the sake of sounding hypocritical to myself. Slowly, the orange blobs begin to come into view as they swim around each other, not knowing what was going on around them. Did they know that they're living in water, I wondered, tilting my head to the side softly. The way they swam made them seemed as if life was simply that: swimming. I supposed so, seeing as that's what fish do their entire lives.

There was something in the water, something fast. Really, I wouldn't have noticed it without my sharingan because of it's quickness. It's a blur, a vibrant pink blur that quickly, but effectively, gathers my interest. It's far too fast for me to get a good look at it, but I can see which way the pink blur goes. It seemed to be swimming around the lake in laps, just making quick circles around, just like any other fish. It's slightly amusing, I thought, as I relaxed in the grass and watched it move. I noticed then it was much larger than any other fish in the lake, and it swam faster than anything I've ever seen. This was slightly unsettling, but I stayed to watch the thing do it's laps, blissfully unaware of the danger around it. Blissfully unaware of the danger I bring. Blissfully unaware of me.

Suddenly, the creature halted. It was then I noticed that the pink blur I noticed earlier wasn't the creature itself, but _her _hair. The pink fanned out around her, warpping and twisting with the shallow waves of the lake. An extensive look gave way to a wide forehead, with a diamond imprinted into the pale skin, and bright, shining green eyes. They held no pupils, but little white dots at the corner of those eyes. A small, button shaped nose adorned her face and a pair of plump, pink lips were parted under the dark water. Her facial expression changed slightly, her green eyes growing sightly fierce and a small smile crossing her pink mouth. I hadn't the slightest idea who she was, but I realized that I've never seen a more beautiful being in all my years. And as quickly as she appeared, she disappeared into the bleak water, leaving not a hair in her wake. The water simply sat there, bubbling and dark without her swimming those quick little laps. It seemed a little darker without her, but I didn't leave. Slowly, I deactivated my sharingan, my deep brown irises melting into the crimson that stained my eyes, draining my energy.

"Lord Sasuke," a silky voice purred, causing me to turn my head and look over my shoulder. Sitting next to me was a girl, pink hair barely grazing her shoulders. Her eyes were a cool, bright shock of green, white dots in the corner. Her skin was covered in reflective scales. The girl cocked a sly smile at me, and laughed. I felt the dark water splash my pants leg, and I looked into the lake, only to find a long, bright pink tail wading just below the surface. "You were spying on me," she murmered, not looking towards me anymore. Quickly, she lifted her tail out of the water, and a pair of short, pale legs appeared, covered in the reflective scales that coated her body. "That's not very fitting for a Lord, especially one such as yourself," she smirked, a gleam in her eye.

"I wasn't spying," I defended, sneaking a glance at her small frame. The girl was now standing, her hands on her hips. She threw me a readable look, though I didn't bother deciefering it. Instead, I focused on the girl's throat, spotting a small cloud tattoo – Itachi's insigna. This girl was one of Itachi's squad members, a professional killer. If I wasn't careful, the girl could _try _to attack me, and I'd have a particularly disasterous situation on my hands.

"Oh?" she quipped, placing her hands on my shoulders and smiling softly me. "So watching someone without telling them isn't spying?" she teased, grasping them softly. Her hands were cool against my back, but far too wet for my liking. Before I could take another breath, the girl pushed me into the dark pond, it's waters chilling against my skin. My armor did nothing to shield me from the cold, and I could hear the girl laughing above my head.

"The hell are you doing?" I shouted, watching her watch me from the bank. I never recieved a response – and I learned never to expect one – but she did smile at me, a bright, beautiful smile. With a cock of her head, she jumped into the cold water, her legs disappearing quickly.

"Itachi said you needed to relax."


	25. princess standard

_Summary : It wasn't often that Princess Sakura waited in a cage for some knight on a white horse to save her, and today wasn't any different. _

_Notes : I've rewritten this twice._  
_Characters : Sakura, Sasuke, Itachi; mentions of Naruto, Tsunade and Kakashi._

_Rating : T for swears_

_Princess Standard_

_._

_._

_._

It wasn't uncommon to find Princess Haruno Sakura in the strangest of places, caught in an unusual, but slightly amusing, situation. It was often when the girl awoke in a strange land with nothing more than the gown on her shoulders and a peculiar, but faithful crow familiar at her side. Rather than acting as a lady of the court _should_ and waiting for a knight to come to her aid, she was more than happy to rescue herself. After all, she was a very busy woman and Father Hatake would _hate _if she were late to any of her etiquette courses – being born a gutter rat had many more _dis_advantages when you're next in line for the throne, she learned. Every lesson was one well spent, she reasoned with herself, as she had learned many a thing on how to be a lady, but there were often times where her gamine knowlege was more useful than having superb posture. Today, she realized, as she stared through the golden bars of her cage and seeing clouds underneath her, was a day where street smarts would be needed. Dainty hands gripped the metal bars with more force than was necessary as she looked at the horizon, where a field on endless blue met fluffy white coulds in what appeared to be a chaotic, but tranquil, harmony. The scene would've appeared nice, had she not been kept in the cage due to heavy brass shackles on her wrists.

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," she said to herself, her emerald eyes scanning the vast white, "What a tizzy I seem to have gotten myself into." Princess Sakura released a sigh of disappointment and fell back in her cage, rocking the golden trap slightly, and began fiddling with the silver locket above her breast. She looked down at the golden floor, and let out another sigh when she seen her distorted reflection. Long, pink hair was tousled and her once gray dress was grass-stained near the hem – Sister Tsunade would be _most _angry with her. She imagined that her fiance wouldn't be pleased, either. "Oh, dear!" she exclaimed, jumping up – the cage rocking again to her annoyance. Her shackles creaked and groaned with every slight movement. "How will I ever present myself to Sister Tsunade – let alone the crown prince of Mythica!" Quickly and with an aggravated huff, the girl kicked off her shoes – they pinched her feet far too painfully for her to keep on any longer. She strode across her cage, her arms at her sides and her fists clenched, desperately hoding back her anger. Her teeth grinded against each other behind pink lips and she took in deep breaths from her nose. With a glare in bright green eyes, Sakura yelled, "What do you _want?" _She folded her arms across one another and pouted, growling slightly under her breath. "I have places I need to be and I can_not _go looking so unpolished! I'll be an embarrassment to the kingdom!" Her voice was loud and belligerant, and she was sure that it would cause some ruckus among the natives of this odd village where she was heald hostage. She had never seen anyone who lived here, but she assumed there must be someone watching her – it would be very irresponsible to do so.

You can imagine her disappointment when no one came to her side. Friend or foe, she didn't mind, as long as _someone _came to her side. Being on her own was something she was no stranger to, but whenever she was dire need of assitance, she always recieved some form of help. Before her mother died, she always told Sakura that it was the work of her Fairy God Mother, and that she would always appear in times of trouble. True to her word, Princess Sakura always recieved must appreciated help when she was in need. This time, no one was there to help her – and the more aware Sakura became of this, the angrier she got. It was no secret that the former waif had a temper like fire, and she coudln't stand being detained. With an angry growl, she slammed her restraints on the metal floor under her, making terribly loud sounds. "How _dare _they?!" she yelled as she pounded the metallic psuedo-ground. "I am a _lady!" _she grunted, "A beautiful, strong, talented, independant lady!" Her face was practically red with anger, and the girl was fuming. She slammed her chains against the cage repeatedly, her noise growing louder and louder. "Someone open up this bloody cage," she yelled, thrashing widly around, "_NOW!" _With fierce anger and eyes to match, she slammed her shackles against the golden bars, rocking the cage feverishly. To her annoyance, Princess Sakura was thrown mercilessly fromk side to side, the metal bars slipping through her grasp.

For a moment, the princess felt the cage still. Out of pure instict, Sakura closed her green eyes and braced herself for impact. Quickly, she was thrown to the other side of her cell, and hit the bars with a sickening thud. Groaning, the girl opened her green orbs and stared, finding nothing but endless green under her. The green twisted and turned, and numerous red thorns jutted out at odd angled. "A stalk," Sakura said quietly, "A stalk.." Surrounding the stalk were plentiful white clouds, soft and we under foot. Looking quickly, the princess noticed nothing more than what she was used to – no other way to escape. She focused her eyes on that green, thorny stalk and grew determined. With her eyebrows pushing each other and her lips in a small smirk, she laughed. _I'm getting the hell out of here, _she smiled, letting go of the bars. Still, her shackles were heavy on her wrists – she noted that in her stay at the castle she'd become very soft. When the cage tilted again, the girl looped an arm around one of the golden bars, clinging onto it for fear of crashing. Sakura refused to close her eyes this time, but wished she had. Before her very eyes stood a tall, ugly creature, with two glaring, red eyes. His notrils flared out angriliy and his mouth was thin and chapped, with bumps adorning a pasty grey face. The girl visibly gramced before letting go of the bars.

"Why are you making such a ruckus, Princess?" the ugly creature asked, red eyes wide, "You make yourself look less like royalty and more like trash." The princess gasped, but looked the hideous being in his eyes. With a fierce glare, she showed him her shackles and pouted. Messy hair clung to her being, hair pins falling from defying gravity so much,

"I demand that you release me!" she yelled, her voice confident. "As the unofficial crown princess of Tyriessian, it is in your _best _interest that you listen!" Her voice wavered slightly, but her resolve was absolute. She heaved a heavy breath and forced her eyes to lock with his, but said nothing more on the matter. When demanding, she remembered, you never spoke too much. It made you seem distractable and easy, so she held her tongue. The creature in front of her – some kind of troll, she reasoned – looked at her with intense, questioning eyes, but laughed.

"Cute little girl," he chided, tapping her cage, "I need that locket before you get to go anywhere." His tone was light, but the words behind it were serious. Green eyes widened substainstially, and she clutched the small silver tinket around her neck. Sharp nails dug into her skin and a fierce snarl was on her lips. She stood on woobly legs, a furosious stare in her face.

"You'll _never _get this," Sakura said, pointing to her chain. It glittered in the light and she smirked at the oaf, feeling proud of it. She puffed her chest out at him and with a loud laugh, ushered him away. "Go on, I'll find a way out by _myself," _she said smugly, causing the troll to drop her cage. As the cage fell down, the princess fell _up, _hitting the top of the dome with a loud crack. Her chains pulled at her wrists and nearly snapped, causing her wrists great pain. As pain shot throughout her enitre frame, she refused to let it show, instead closing her eyes and gritting her teeth. She couldn't help the water that collected in her eyes and how teh seeped through the corners, but she refused to cry out. The felt the cage come to a halt, but she held onto the top. With a defiant look in her eye, she yelled, "If you want to break me, you'll have to hellovalot more than that!" The troll stomped away, and she heaved a sigh of relief.

When he was out of earshot and too far away to see, the princess bit her thumb, breaking the skin. She watched as droplets of blood spilled, counting three small, bright red spots. They arranged themselves in an odd fashion, forming the Senju seal of summoning – the very reason Sakura became a princess. Once fully arranged in a diamond of impossible lengths, she called out, "Oh black bird, oh black bird, I'm in need of your help!" Her voice was weak and her arms were growing tired, but she determined to stay on the top of the dome, no matte how her wrists ached. At once, a large crow appeared before her, his eyes red and spinning wildly.

"You've gotten yourself in trouble again, I presume?" the crow squawked, tilting his head. After she blinked a few times, the bird turned into a fine young man, with a serene, albeit serious, look on his face. Sakura looked helpless to him, but he bit back a smile.

"Yes, Itachi," she said softly, feeling a little embarassed, "Has Father Kakashi sent anyone after me yet?"

"Yes, he has sent the top knight to retrieve you –"

"Top knight?" Sakura interrupted, her green eyes growing wide. "No, no, that certainly won't do!" she said, yanking her wrists upwards, causing the chains to creak and groan under the pressure. She felt the links getting weaker, and pulled more, with growing strength. "I cannot allow Sasuke to see me in such a state!" she said, explaining herself to Sasuke, "How embarrassing that word be!" This time, Itachi let himself laugh.

"Princess," he started, laughing a little, "Sasuke is near the bottom of the stalk already, it'll only be a few moments before he starts climbing. Please, just conserve your strength," he said, his voice cool and calm. It was only a moment later when the chains snapped, though Sakura was still sporting the cuffs. She gave Itachi a teasing look, but smiled at him.

"What's the point of strength if you don't use it?" Sakura quipped, climbing down the side of the bars, which she noticed were as thick as herself. When she finally stepped foot on the, it came to her just how _big _everything was around her – just how _small _she was. The thought overwhelmed her, but she strode over to a side of the cage, intending on escaping the foul contraption. It was to her joy when she discovered that she was slim enough to squeeze through the bars, though narrowly. Quickly, she slipped through the bars, and smirked at the crow left inside. "See?!" she smiled, sticking her tongue out at the man, "I made it out just fine without the help of that 'top knight'!" Itachi smiled at her, but clapped his hands slowly.

"Yes, Princess Sakura, you escaped. Not the average princess feat, I'll tell you," he said, before shifting back into a crow. Perching himself on Sakura's bare shoulder, the grey fabric stopping a few inches under, he cawed. "Your dress is ruined, and your hair is a mess," he spoke blunty, "Mistress Tsunade will be most displeased."

Cringing, the princess spoke, "I'm not your average princess." Quickly, she grabbed the hem of her dress and ripped it, causing a jagged, horrid mess to appear around her knees. "It won't get wet this way," she said to herself, pulling out the rest of her hairpins. Pink hair was slowly released from the strain of the thin pieces of metal, and she instantly felt better. She looked to the crow and petted his head, a small smile on her face. "The stalk is the way out?" The crow squawked in approval and Sakura nodded softly. "In that case, you are dismissed." In a puff of smoke, the bird disappeared, replaced by emptiness.

Confidently, Sakura made her way to the thorny stalk, staring down it. With keen eyes, she could see a black horse – Avalon, she recognized – and a pale figure dismounting him. "Oh no!" she said, teeting on the edge of the cloud, "He can't see me up here! I'll die of embarrassment!" She looked over the edge, and seen that this cloud was high above the Earth, though the stalk reached. "I have to get down and _fast," _she mused, getting a hold on the green plant. She attempted to climb down, but this proved to be a difficult feat, especially without shoes. She looked over the edge and seen the knight preparing to climb the stalk and made a choice, quickly and unreasonably.

She jumped.

"Sasuke!" she screamed, catching the man's attention. He turned his face towarsds hers and stared in confusion, wondering what the princess could be doing. "I've got it under control!" she yelled again, ripping her chain off of her neck. She dropped it and when it hit the ground, a silver dragon appeared, whirling it's way back up to the falling princess. The dragon caught her in it's palm, and lowered itself, setting her on the ground. The man stared at her with a confused face, though she smiled at him. Quickly, the princess dusted herself off and mounted the horse, who gently nudged her.

"_You're _the princess, Sakura?!"


	26. odd one

_You'd be surprised at how helpful music is._  
_Summary : Little by little, Sakura blossoms._  
_Notes : Was on vacation_  
_Characters : Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto._  
_Rating : T, swears_

Odd One

.

He caught her attention on a bright spring day, when the sun seemed more fiery orange than placid yellow. She acknowledged earlier in the day that today would be something special, she could sense it in the trees. Being a nature pixie, Haruno Sakura was deeply in sync with the flora and fauna that made it's home in Konoha. Sometimes, the wind would carry a message to her small ears from the trees, other times a rabbit would utter something and cause her to blush. That morning, on the day where the sun was orange, the trees were a deep, glossy green and dropped numerous black flowers below her feet. Whether or not this was a good omen or not, the seven-year-old girl took it in stride, weaving the dark blooms in her summer hair.

On the walk to school that day, dressed in her pretty blue dress, she saw _him. _He was ceratinly different than any boy she's noticed before – he was far darker than anything she's ever seen. With obsidian eyes that rivaled graphite hair, and a round face, he was easily the _prettiest_ boy she's ever laid her spring eyes on. Her breath hitched, and she could feel her face getting hot. Suddenly, her tummy felt very empty and her head was swimming. With trembling fingers and a fluttering heat, she asked the living world around her, "What's happening to me?"

Gently, she heard a bird answer back, "Just go with it." Nodding slightly and trying not to grin as goofily as possible, Sakura listened. Still, underneath the pretty blue dress, her heart pounded in her chest. She stook slow, but determined, steps towards the boy – though she told herself she was headed for _school._ By now, she was surely late, but she assured herself that it was fine. As a top student, Miss Anko wouldn't punish her too severely on her first tardy, she'd hoped. She nodded to herself, pleased with her rationality. Soon her mind began to drift from the pretty boy on the road ahead of her and towards her schoolwork – which she excelled at.

Quite often, Sakura became lonesome. She had no playmates as she was an only child and the girls in her town didn't like her candy-colored locks or bottle-green eyes. They preferred to pick on her – constantly teasing her about the width of her forehead and lack of skill in training. Though she never outwardly showed it, the teasing made her a little insecure. Subconciously, she pulled on her bangs and pouted slightly. Sure, the animals and trees kept her complany, but it would be absolutely wonderful to have a friend that was just like _her. _Or at least, a little bit like her. With black flowers weaved in her hair and her blue dress clean, Sakura Haruno wandered on down the road, the pretty boy pushed to the back of her mind. Instead, her woes and the shape of the flowers started to cloud her head, swirling round and round.

Suddenly, the poor seven-year-old ran into something. It was roughly the same size as her, but a little harder and a _lot _hotter. She jumped back quickly, and vines with small, yellow flowers jutted out from the ground, waiting to be plucked. Bottle green were wide with confusion as she looked into a pair of bottomless onyx eyes. There, her tiny body stood completely stiff, frozen by shock. Her small pink lips parted, revealing teeth with too many spaces in between them and a missing front tooth. Realization washed over her as she stared, _this was the pretty boy. _And true to her thought, he was pretty. A blush quickly fell over her face and she started to fall backwards, only for him to wrap his small hands around her arms, steadying her. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice light. As Sakura opened her mouth to answer, a loud scream escaped her mouth – his hands were burning her skin.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" she screamed, and the pretty boy let go of her, causing her to fall back. More pretty yellow flowers popped out if the ground besides her, but she barely noticed. The boy's face paled as he looked at her in the utmost horror and fear.

"I'm so sorry!" he said, looking at her with bright, wide black eyes. Slowly, he backed away from the girl, remorse filling his entire being. "Please," he began, still distancing himself. Sakura looked up at him, her eyes watery and face a little red, but she listened. Her arms throbbed from the pain, heat moving in and out her being. "Don't be angry. It was an accident, I swear!" he said, raising his arms and showing flat palms. A few tears escaped the girl's eyes, though she tried hard to hide them. "Please, I didn't mean it. Don't cry.." As he spoke, his voice became softer and softer, and it was obvious the boy was nervous. The trees urged Sakura to speak, to comfort him, but she was in far too much pain to speak. Crystal tears welled in his eyes and he looked down, gritting his teeth.

"I won't ever make you cry again," he spoke softly, looking Sakura in her eyes. "Promise." That said, the small boy ran off down the dirt road, not looking back. She watched him run until he blended in with the surrounding trees and flowers, and then until he disappeared all together.

Sakura was late that day, and spent most of in the nurse's office with Lady Tsunade teaching her about medicine instead of learning about flowers with the other girls.

.

.

Since that day, Sakura had ran into the boy many other times. He was the new boy at school, who couldn't control his capabilities too well, but had the most potential to learn. Under Master Kakashi's tutelage, the boy – Sasuke, she'd learn on her first day back in class – shone like a spark in the dark. His prowress over lightning made him the center of attention at the small academy – girls wanted to date him and boys wanted to _be _him. Though Sakura pretended not to know what the hype was – he was just a _boy, _after all – she still believed that he was the prettiest boy she'd ever seen. She quietly observed him throughout the remainder of their years in the academy, and noticed that he was exceptionally quiet. The boy spoke to not a single soul – save for his Master and a loud-mouth blond that reminded Sakura so much of Ino, a girl who could read minds and Sakura's best (only) friend. It was odd how mysterious he was, silently spending his days studying and practicing.

There was no doubt that he would harness his skill and become a fine lightning wielder, though there was something _more _to him. Something strange and enchanting, almost too perfect for this world. If there was something wrong with him, Sakura could not find it. Flawless and perfect, Sasuke Uchiha soon became the secret object of her affections. A secret to him, at least, for she did not tell a person. Ino had accidently snooped in her head and put two and two together rather quickly, though she was good at keeping it a secret. Their frienship was built on shakey confidence and strong trust, and it made a grand foundation.

At age twelve, Sakura knew why her heart beat so quickly when she'd met him on that fateful day.

But every night before she drifited off to a much needed, blissful sleep, she confided in her plants. As she'd grown and matured, her bond to the animal and plant kingdom grown exponentially. She no longer needed to voice her needs, for she was so intertwined with nature that they could _feel _her. The trees felt her gnawing nervousness when she executed a different strategy to solve a problem, the birds experienced her despair when that strategy didn't work out the way she'd planned – usually because she simply was not any good when it came to physical work. No matter the size, weight, or species, everything in nature felt Sakura growing heartbeat when she talked of her perfect, golden boy. Oh, she talked about him for hours on hours, and nothing but him. She would speak of his perfections, and her feelings about him, but never mentioned their interactions.

There was a very simple explaination for it: they never interacted. True to his word, Sasuke never made her cry again, though he chose to avoid her all together. It wasn't obvious, she wouldn't had noticed if she wasn't anyone else, but the pre-adolescent boy ignored her. It was very subtle and uncommon, but he was steal glances at her in the lecture hall. The glances would be more like stares, he'd be looking at _her _for long periods of time, furiously taking notes with one hand and holding the paper with the other. Sakure would never catch him staring at her – it'd go against his reputation of perfection – but the black flowers she weaved in her hair sees it, and she can _feel _his eyes on her. One day, she tried to share a look with him, but he turned away far too quickly for her to glance back.

Still, she felt something within those glances, something she knew far too well. At night, it made her blush and giggle, to think that he would ever think of her in such a way. The lasting, long looks he would give her are in perplexion, curiosity. Surely, he remembers the skinny, gap-toothed, pink haired girl with a wide forehead from their shared childhood, but to think that he was curious about the thin, braces wearing, long, pink haired teenager was very amusing. Her little heart would go pitter-patter in her chest as she entertained the thought of him liking her as she adored him. "Wouldn't that be funny?" she told the trees outside of her bedroom, one autumn night.

"Funnier things have happened," a chipmunk answered, scampering towards her window. This made her bottle-greens go wide, and she held a breath. _Was there a reason to have hope_? she thought, _that he'd go for a girl like me?_ Sakura shot up in her bed, a wide smile on her face. _He _could _actually like me! _she thought, oh so happily. Standing on her bed, she bounced excitedly. _It could really be true! _The world seemed to glow around the happy almost teenager. The trees stretched a little wider and the animals began to make more noise. Her bedside black roses, which became her most consistent accessory, began to spread in it's water, overwhelmingly captivating with it's beauty. She smiled brightly, but it faded quickly.

She'd caught a glimpse at herself in the mirror and was thoroughly disappointed. Her skin was pasty and forehead far too wide to be normal. Her green eyes were oddly bright and her hair was a weird shade that was too _different _to be pretty. Her gapped teeth and the metal covering them made her too ugly to be worthy of perfect Sasuke. She looked at her thin body, not suited for fighting or even _passing basic training. _Sakura was inadequate, nothing compared to him. "He's perfect," she sighed, collasping on her bed, a defeated sigh on her voice, "an Adonis. And I'm just...I'm just me. I'm not perfect, or pretty, or talented enough for someone as perfect as him. I'm just being silly even thinking about it." She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped them around, burying her head on the tops. Sniffing, she whispered, "I don't even have a _chance."_

For Sakura, with age came confidence. Little bits at a time, but confidence all the same. It wasn't too often when she voiced her personal flaws to anyone, not even herself, but she found herself pointing every imperfection that marred her. Every dirty, gritty thing that made her less and less useful, less and less strong, less and less worth something, _anything. _

When dawn came around and Sakura had ran out of tears, she looked herself in the mirror. With a shaking hand, she punched the glass, shattering the thing. Though some stuck out at odd angles, she barely felt it's sting. She gently plucked it out and gingerly watched as her skin stitched itself back together – an ability she didn't know she had. Amazed with herself, she vowed never to let anyone, not even herself, talk down to her. She picked up a pair of scissors and chopped her long locks off, cutting her silkly pink hair to her chin.

A few days after, the strongest girl in school said something mean about her hair.

Sakura kicked the girl's ass in thirteen minutes.


	27. remorse

_You'd be surprised at how helpful music is._  
_Summary : She wasn't there to ask forgiveness._  
_Notes : Tanabata was my birthday._  
_Characters : Sakura, Kakashi; Sakura talks about Sasuke._  
_Rating : T_

_Remorse_

_._

The woman sauntered in with a shimmy of her hips and clicking of black heels on the hardwood floors. The stone church intimidated the woman, but she held a blank poker-face as she confidently walked down the centre aisle, finding a priest sitting in the front row, reading intently from a book that _didn_'_t_ look like a bible. Her noise didn't go unnoticed, and the man spared the woman a glance, noticing that she was dressed in a short black dress—not revealing, but not conservative, either. Her black heels that clicked so much revealed stubby white toes with striking red polish, and her face had a small, black, lace veil to shade her cool, green eyes. Her long pink hair was pinned up in some kind of twist that the priest didn't concern himself with knowing, and her lips were a deeper shade of pink, bordering on red. He hadn't known what to make of this strange, silent woman, but the gaze in her eyes entraced him—he suddenly found the drafy church to be very hot and couldn't find enough air in his lungs. He barely registered her voice when she opened her mouth to say, "I would like to make a confession, Father."

His saintly impulses took over form there. Standing, he gave her another once over before walking in front of her, leading her to the room where her request would be granted. He could hear the clutter of her heels as she stumbled over herself before she grabbed him by the sleeve on his robe. He turned back to her gently, and found himself swimming in her green pools for eyes. "Would it possible to do it in here?" she asked quickly, looking towards the door. "I'd be much more comfortable that way..." The priest nodded at her softly, before taking his spot back in the front row, with the girl sitting next to him. He wasn't much older than her, he presumed, taking the liberty to stare at her. He was a man of thirty-four, and this girl was twenty, at least.

Still, he wondered, what could be troubling her. Her face was completely blank, but her shoulders shook and tremebled, and he noticed that her thin legs looked woobly under the weight of her body. She was skinny, but nto emanciated, with soft edges and curves galore, and her face held a youthful innocence he hadn't seen in a long time—ungenuine innocence. He'd seen it before, in the face of his best friend, a long-time meth addict. Was that this girl's sin?Falling into a world that was much too harsh and much too fast for her? By the way she shook and tremebled and stirred, it was a reasonable guess.

The girl closed her eyes and began, "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned." He dragged a grey eye over to her knee, and seen it began shaking.

"What is your sin, child?" he asked her, automatically, watching her shoulders hitch. Her breath seemed caught in her throat as she gazed at him, guilt and regret and sorrow reflected in bottomless pits. She clenched her teeth together, gnashing and gnawing at imaginary enemies. The priest – Father Kakashi – is also used to seeing this, unironically in his junkie friend. This is where the innocence fades and the lashing out rises, where blame is put on everyone, not excluding themselves. Her breathing became ragged before she retreated into the palms of her hands, which shook something awful.

"I didn't wanna do it Father!" she swore, staring him in the eyes, but careful not to touch him. The already warm room became ever so much hotter, but he stood his ground, and sat next to her. "I loved Sasuke more than I could ever love anything else. My sin was an act of passion..and rage. I was just so.._angry _at him," she said, a small growl in her voice. The priest felt something warm and wet on his face and when he bought his hand to his nose, found blood. Still, the girl looked at him, a small, mechanical smile on her face. "He's a lying, dirty, two-timing _fuck_, Father, but I guess I'm no better. I _loved _him so much, I couldn't stand to _lose _him, Father. You understand, right?" she said, gripping his arm tightly.

"Not exactly, Miss," he answered truthfully, only prompting a laugh from the girl.

"It's _Mrs, _Father. I didn't expect you to understand, none of your kind do. It's such a pity, honestly." The girl shook with every words she uttered, but this was something the priest hadn't seen. Those cool green eyes were replaced with something hot and dangerous, and he found himself wanting to leave her immediatately. Unfortunately, his legs would not cooperate with him, and he remained seated in the hot pew with a broken, little girl that didn't seem so little, but very broken.

She gripped his hand and smiled at him, sincere and soft, absent of any malice. "I still see his blood staining my fingers, Father."


	28. not the american average

_You'd be surprised at how helpful music is._  
_Summary : It's all they've got._  
_Notes : Sorry, but my break's over._  
_Rating : T, for swears and wanting to kill/maim the publuc_  
_Characters : Sasuke, Sakura, Ino._

_Not The American Average_

_._

I guess you could say that I'm the bad guy, but _he _made me this way. Frankly, he doesn't like children, he thinks animals are disgusting, and he simply does not care about the plight of the everyday man. Cold, calculating, and callous – not the kind of boy you'd want to take home to mommy and daddy, for sure. As a lonely, misfit teenager they called him trouble, but they ain't seen _nothing_ yet. Back then, he was simply misunderstood, orphan boy with a monster for brother. It _must _run in the veins, because _he's _the moster now. Itachi would be _so _proud, wouldn't he, Sasuke-sensei? With darkness as his only ally, he quickly learned to use it to his advantage, bending and twisting it to exhaustion. What used to be a quick outlet quickly turned into a thisty addiction, but I'm not sure if the addict is _him _or not. Misery loves company, and he knows this, but his grip on sanity isn't too firm. This is probably a warning sign, that disaster will strike, but he's the most beautiful disaster I've ever seen. I don't want to escape this calamity unscathed.

I'm the dirty, grimey bad guy of this tale – and he loves every second of it. Honestly, there is nothing more satsifying to him than watching everything he knows – desperate and miserable – crashing around him. Every great villian has some kind of grandoise evil scheme containing monsters and angels and demons – but that's been done time and time again. Staying atop of the world means coming up with something different...unique. There's nothing fun about plotting and being conniving if your kind of crazy's been done. _His _kind of crazy is explosive and silent, deadly and ready to burst.

That's why he started where he did – teaching a community college art class in a upper-class slum. Plagiraizing creativity and corrupting minds _is _evil, right? That's also where he met another kind of crazy – Sakura Haruno, the unordinary freshman girl desiring just as much control—maybe more—than he. This isn't his story, nor is it mine. It's our story, of a love most undefined. We were both driven by hate, and that's what made us cling to one another, someone to show us that we're not as unstable as we think we are.

.

.

I'm not ashamed to admit, I was infatuated with Uchiha Sasuke when our eyes first met. I was in community college because real college was far too expensive and a poor girl like me couldn't dream of attending anything even remotely close to it. Really, I hadn't want to go to school at all, it was a waste of time and money, but my mother insisted that I do _something _with education. I've always liked drawing and watercolor painting – though it was a pain in the ass. A dirty, profoundly boring, white classrom that reeked of ink and longing was not a preferable way to spend my year, but it was better than nothing, I suppose. The walls were lined with spilled paint and windows that wouldn't open, chairs covered in gum. With dark mascara highlighting in the green in my colored orbs, I stared at him, unashamed and unadultered. There was something about him, something sinister and insidious, and I wasn't at all afraid.

Maybe I was already insane. Before the batshit explosions and collisions with the dark, maybe I was already a little fucked up. It wouldn't be a far stretch, I don't think, seeing as electricity pumped through my veins. Like any other super villianess, my powers were due to a freak accident – catching lightning. Admittedly, I caught it with my body, but I never let it go. Even now, I can feel the somewhat seering jolts in my fingertips – makes it incredibly difficult to write, and incredibly easy to kill, whoops, I've said too much.

"He's staring at you, Forehead," my best friend, Yamanaka Ino, whispered hotly to me. The thought of this attractive man staring at me had never crossed my mind, I was far too busy thinking of all the ways I could shock my best friend into non-existence. I'm not a good girl, but you've probably figured that out already. It's not my fault—Ino's always been someone so perfect, so beautiful and graceful without trying, and I was second best. Always just under pretty little Ino, never as beautiful, never as sweet, never as good. Can you blame me for wanting to wrap my green tunted nails around her pretty little throat?

Well, you could, but then you'd suck.

"Who is he?" I asked her, mixing in a darker blue into the paint scheme. Little did I know _he _would be standing right in front of me. I didn't see him, but I could feel him standing near me. It was something foreign, unnatural coarsing through my bdy when I looked up and found his penetrative gaze focused on me. Something cool, but very hot, chilled my bones and I felt myself give in to something, but only for a moment. This something was deliciously evil, uncencored, and ruthless, and it had caught me. In a frenxy, I covered my work and looked at the man hovering over my table, finding a smaller version of myself reflected in his black eyes.

"He might be me," he said, removing my hands from the paper. He let his eyes rest on it, thin lips forming a subtle smirk on his pale face. He kept his hands on top of mine, sending pulsing chills through my very core. "This is very...different, Sakura. Why use watercolors and why the colors?" he asked, his voice as smooth as silk. I could feel the pulse moving feverently in my fingertips, my own sparks mixing in it's disarry. Slowly, I sent a small jolt to the pads of his finger pads. I could feel his response in the pulses, flaring once with what could be surprise.

"Watercolors are really beautiful," I started, motioning towards my picture, "but very easy to ruin. I want to ruin the colors, so I can fix them." My voice came surprisingly easy, no hints of pulsing blackness of sparks of light anywhere. Why it was so easy was obvious to me – this darkness was comforting. A safe place, secure, where stability and recklessness were promised all at once. I was welcome, I was first.

"You're very interesting, Sakura," he said, the smirk evident in his voice. "Will you stay after class and talk to memore about your...style," he asked, though his voice implied that it was more of a command. There was a gleam in his reflective eyes, and I could see the smaller version of me smiling wildly, menacingly. I let my candy eyes lcok with his, demanding his attention, and he didn't protest.

"I will," I answered, a light laugh in my voice.

.

.

.

When the students were away, Sasuke and I started to play. I wasn't scared when I saw an inky blackness rise from his palm and coat in floors in a blanket of black – I was thrilled. The blackness tickled my toes and confused my senses, cold on the outside and burning on the inside, pulsing, beating, breathing, breeding. There was something mythical, fantastic, and terrifying about this magic–if I can call it that. It was beautiful to watch, dark enough where you felt it pierce your soul. No reflection could be seen in this darkness, none recognizable to my eyes.

In his eyes, I saw a reflection, clear and perfect in his blackness. I saw someone pale and trembling, incredibly lonely and tired of being compared to someone much more than a human. His pale skin is framed by a mess of black everything, black hair, black clothes, and impossibly black eyes. There's something lurking in those eyes, something great and too much for him to handle. A nightmare, a living hellish nightmare. The boy's angry, it's so obvious, but he doesn't let it out. It festers with his fear and transforms him into something – someone –unrecognizable. But he's still the same scared boy, if only inside. I can't help the smile that comes to my face far too easily, or the current in my veins.

Confidently, I bring my hand to his cheek, sending a few sparks towards his face. It burned him, but he didn't flinch, but accepted the pain, as if it were nothing. "I see you," I said, my voice brazen and confident. "I see you and I _know _you."

"I knew you did. And I want your help."

"To do what?" I asked, a little bewildered. For a moment, he chuckled. A short, rusted sound emitted from his throat that didn't fit with the rest of his character. That chuckled turned into a smirk, and I swear, I fell in love. The blankess breathing and the sparks around us flying wildly, untamed by me nor nature and unreserved were a _perfect _backdrop to a catastrophic couple.

"Just look around," he whispered, a wicked smile on his skin. Removing my eyes from his must've taken a century, because when I looked around, the dingy white classroom was no more. Gone were the stained walls and mundane fumes of everyday-ness. In it's place was the dark, lined with flashes and flashes of white color, striking and falling and bleeding. Timed strikes shook the walls, but never rocked the floor, and I couldn't help but feel at ease. "We did this," he said softly, "and we could do so much more.."


	29. pink champagne

_Summary : She missed him._  
_Notes : Companion to 27, Remorse. Blame school for late updates and Ke$ha for inspiration._

_Pink Champagne_

_._

The stone ceiling bled grey in Sakura's jaded eyes, stale and stagnant in the small walls of her basement. Eyes appearing twenty three in age and mind at least a century older darted back and forth between the white moonlight spilling into the nine by twelve box and the bubbling brew in front of her, finding nothing intriguing to fixatute upon. Her pale skin was slick with sweat, even with the night air blowing. The air was stuffy and humid, she blamed it on the on her concauction, and she grew even more restless, hands shaking and pulse racing. Her clothes, a simple, loose black shirt that didn't belong to her, and a pair of colorful knee-high socks, seemed to stick to her body, trapping her and squeezing the energy out of her. She could feel a beating in her chest, pounding and heavy, far too fast to be normal, and too loud to be ignored. The adult had never been claustrophobic, but she couldn't help but feel suffocated in the hot box she was forced to work in. Pushing a pair of glasses, that she doesn't own but fucking _loves_, higher onto her face, she stared down at a heavy leather-bound book, a 'gift'–she'd like to think, trying to focus on the words written in pink and red ink, softly curling around the ends of the letters. "Vita creando*," she spoke softly, pink lips pulling into a pout, "Dantes ignibus vitam obiecta*...no, that's not it..."

"Out of all the spells in that big ass book," a smooth voice said, mis-matched fingers lifiting a cigarette to a thin mouth, "you can't find _one_ on resurrecting. God, what kind of half-wit wizard are you?!" Green eyes turned and stared down a mis-matching pair, one swirling red and the other a stony-grey, and the woman growled. This did nothing to dissuade the once-priest, now torn apart and stitched together, owning parts of his body that he did not originally possess. Those green eyes grew softer with each passing second she spent staring at her monster, proud of her handiwork.

"Keep talking and I'll cut out your tongue, Kakashi," she threatened, pointing a red tipped nail at his throat menacingly. Setting her book down and taking the glasses off, Sakura ran a hand through her bright, pink hair, left dangling to her shoulders, and released an uneasy breath. Still, her kettle leisurely and the white light poured in, creating a scene of eerie tranquility. Taking two paces towards the man, she rested her arms on his shoulders, apply slight pressure and watching him wince, inwardly noting his reaction. "Spells are wild, delicate creatures, stulte*. So delicate, that they're almost exitinct, especially ones dealing in the forbidden arts – necromancy and control," she said softly, brushing white hair – she'd let him keep his face, far too pretty to cut up – out of his different eyes. Her own hair fell to the sides of her face, clipped away by barrettes and framing her cheeks with pops of pink. Her eyes shown a sweet sorrow, one Kakashi only seen in Obito – whom Sakura reminded him very much of. "They just so happen to be the arts I'm interested in – at the cost of every good fucking thing I have," she nearly whispered, a small, genuine smile filling her face.

"Then why—" Kakashi started, but stopped, seeing Sakura's eyes glow furiously. The cool jade became replaced by a hot gold, and her hand flew to his mouth, gripping his jaw. For a second, her brew stopped bubbling, and the moonlight went dark. The only light came from the young witch's eyes, which glowed a bright yellow. The pale hand that held on to Kakashi's face trembled and she shook restlessly, bearing her teeth and exhaling heavily onto him, smelling of vanilla and death.

"I _had _to," the girl responded, her throat angry and dry. Her entire body shook, but she held tighter on to the man, with a rage unseen and force unknown. Clear tears built in the corners of her eyes and fell, but she fixed her eyes onto him with a clear determination. "Fuck, I didn't want to do it, but I _had _to! I _love_ him and he _used _me and I _killed_ him, and I'll bring him back, but this is _his fault."_ The girl's skin crawled, moving and shifting into something unnatural, something devastating, and she let out a shriek so shrill the kettle bubbled. With a snarl, she released the deceased priest's face, sure enough leaving her mark – a burning blossom – on his cheek_. _"I miss him," she said, exhausted and wasted, "I miss him...and there's no guarentee that he is going to live forever, not while I'm around. I'm going to fucking snap again, and this time, I want to die with him. That's what I'm looking for, lecher.

Something very warm and very red dripped from her eyes, but she refused to acknowlege it. It dripped from her face and onto the floor, staining the wood and the black shirt the scarlet shade. "I'm going to bed," she said definitively, slowing walking towards the stairs, with her back hunched over and shoulders slumped with something a little more than regret.

.

.

By the time the tired witch made it to her bed, she found herself drifting in and out of reality, eyes glazed over with blood. The wet substance dripped endlessly, leaving a trail following the girl. She inhaled softly, trying her hardest to stay awake, to stay in reality, to stay where Sasuke wasn't and where she was a murderer.

She couldn't tell whether or not if it was one of those bittersweet memories when the tip of a blade pressed itself against her throat, held by a familiar face. "I did it..." she whispered, smiling contentedly.


	30. (hey oh)

_Summary : She didn't know him, but she could tell that was the start of something magical._

_Characters : Sakura, Sasuke._

_Setting : 1692_

_(Hey Oh)_

•

The snow glistened around the edge of the thicket, creating a scene of pure beauty. Sakura smelled the forest air, and when she exhaled, she was slightly mystified by seeing her own breath mix in with the icy air. She pulled her cloack closer around her person, savoring every inch of warmth. Her long dress floated above the forest floor, and her boots did nothing to insulate her feet. Her once long, pink hair was now cut short, strands of pink leaving a trail. She was losing her breath, panting heavuly, and her feet ached with every step, but she ran as fast as she could, determined to get far, far away from where she started. The soft glow of torches behind her kept her determined, she shouldn't, couldn't, and _wouldn't _go back.

_"Burn her!"_

_"Kill her!"_

_"Drown that Harlot!"_

Their screams and hollers of her pursuers echoed in her mind, taunting her. They followed her for hours, and had no intention of leaving her alive. No, they planned to catch her and drag her back to their little hypocritical village, kicking amd screaming, and torture her, and burn her, though that was only because the lake had frozen. She wasn't a witch, a woman who sold her soul to the Devil for power and magic, but _gifted. _That's what her mother said, at least, and like a good daughter, Sakura believed her, though she didn't dare practice outside the comfort of her home. She had believed, rather foolishly, that no one would discover how precocious she was, and that she could live a normal life in the only home she's ever known.

She found out that she was horribly, horribly wrong. At only eighteen, she was left alone in a cold thicket, being chased by people who she once called friends. Her feet burned in the cold snow, but she would keep running until she couldn't anymore. And then, she'd do the only thing she's ever known to do—pray for her life. In the dead wood, the branches jutted out at odd angles, attacking her, but she wasn't without help. Woodland animals, the deers and owls and mice, did their fair share of work to help her survive the night. The mice nipped at her chaser's toes, doing their best to slow them, while the deer and owls guided her through the dense forest. Silently, she thanked these kind creatures, and prayed that they didn't lose their lives trying to save her's.

As the forest became thicker, the mob became quieter. As the torches dimmed, she grew confident, believing that she would survive the night. Slowing, she found herself taking large inhales of air, letting the chilly night infect her lungs and give her life. Resting her hands on her knees, she found her legs burning, and clenched her teeth tightly. "Focus," she told herself, taking in deep breaths, "Focus..." Slowly, her hands glowed with a golden, soft light, and her legs cooled, slightly. With the mob off of her trail, the girl allowed herself a chance to breathe, and with that breath came large, violent sobs.

She was alone. Her mother was left at the mercy of the villiage, she hadn't a friend in the world, and she was left isolated. If she were to perish in this dank wood, no one would care. Her village would celebrate, and she'd become another face in the snow, forgotten by time. A sob escaped her body and she fluttered with tremors, shaking her head back and forth.

A light tap on her shoulder startled her, but she lifted her lime green eyes to meet a pair deep grey ones, complimented by a pale face, though a large cut was placed under his eye. Black hair framed this pale face, and she was so surprised, she let out a small gasp. She looked at him for a while, her own eyes green and puffy, neither person saying anything. A single thought ran through her mind, however; _you're beautiful. _Gruffly, he broke the silence, "You were weeping." His voice was rough with had a sharp edge to it, but lightly laced with what she hoped was concern.

"Yes," she answered softly, staring the man in his eyes. A light flush covered her face, and she felt her entire being heat up, a little. His clothes seemed ill fitted for the cold weather, consisting of a suit jacket and pants, but his boots were dirty and covered in a dark substance that definitely wasn't mud.

"Little girls such as yourself shouldn't be our wandering the woods alone," he said, lowering himself to her height. Gently, he met her eyes, and she watched as they swirled red, his pupil expanding and contracting quickly, forming millions of different shapes. The sight sent shivers up her spine, and she trembled underneath her cloak. "It's dangerous out here," he said, opening his mouth to show off his fanged teeth.

Sakura, however, was unafraid. Boldly, she lifted a finger and dragged it along the gash on the side of his face, sealing the cut. With a tender smile, she said, "I am not afraid of the dark." She flashed him a gentle smile, and mused his hair. "Are you, stranger?"

"Sasuke," was his gruff reply, whcih earned him a soft laugh.

"Sakura."

And the two ran into the thicket, never to be seen or heard from again.


	31. on the path of life

_Summary : It was a beautiful day._

_Notes : Sarada, Sasuke, with flashbacks of Sakura. _

On The Path of Life

.

Tall, exclusive trees wound their way around a green-stained path that was once brown. The blazing yellow sun shone down, and the daring blue sky shown no clouds for miles. The trail went on for miles, twisting and turning in everyway possible, with multiple side roads leading to multiple castles in multiple towns far away from the center of the road. Wildflowers and domestic animals lazily lounged on the sides of the natural road, and a light breeze stirred the leafy green trees above the nearly empty green road. All in all, a girl walking down the path felt as if the day couldn't get lovlier. A small, pink smile adorned her pale face as she pushed her glasses up, feeling slide down the bridge of her nose. Her green backpack weighed heavily on her barely covered shoulders, filled with clothes and trinkets the girl had picked up on her journey. Her black hair grazed her shoulders irritably, she would need a trim soon, but she felt exuberant as her heavy boots hit the ground, softly hearing the dirt crunch under feet. A sword in a pink sheath hung at her hip, ready to be used, but she refused to pull it out. She needed to be on her journey, and make haste, and pulling out her favorite toy was something that needed not to be done. At just evelen years old, the girl, Sarada, was wandering the world alone, determined to make it her pearl.

If only she knew where she was. The girl, very young and used to being sheltered, was quite lost in the world. She'd set a goal in her mind—to find each of the seven eggs of wonder and find her missing piece—and was well on her way into accomplishing it. At the bottom of her bag were five of the eggs, protected, enchanted, and ready to be defended, and she _hoped_ that she was reached the destination of the final two – Ruby Hall. It was a quaint city she'd only heard about in bedtime stories told by her mother when she was very young, but so were the eggs, and those proved to be very real. The town was supposedly covered in various shades of red, from the ground to buildings–even the people! Millions of people passed through without noticing, but when you did, you couldn't help but stay forever. "And that's why the goddess left one of it's eggs," she said softly, remembering the exact words from her mother's mouth. _Though, I can't imagine leaving one of my babies in a city by it's lonesome. No, that wouldn't do for me._ Her voice was silky and smooth, echoing in Sarada's mind and making the small smile stretch.

Walking with a pep in her step, Sarada continued down the green frosted road, hoping she reached the city of red quickly. Her strides were long and determind, and she clutched the straps of her back, gently scratching her palms. It wasn't long before she found a man, strange to her, coming down the path. "Excuse me," she called, raising her right hand, "You whooo!" The man approached her cautiously, with long hair obscuring most of his face. The young girl was fearless, however, and smiled when he neared. "I'm sorry to be of trouble," she began, looking into his face, "but I'm a little lost." Her bright, dark eyes looked up at them, and she noticed the man with long hair had dark eyes and dark hair, and a row of shiny beads around his neck, indicating he was part of the Knights of Gold River, a position she's always admired. She grew up on the outskirts of Gold River, with her mother raising her. She had never known a father, but her mother spoke enough about him to make the young girl adore him. Her small, pointed ears would perk up as she listened to tales of the dashing young half-demon who slew a thousand monsters where they stood and defended the rights of everyone who lived in River. Bold and brave, her father was one of the Knights, and her mother a nymph whom he rescued from a wild slythering gossomere. Sarada was often enchanted hearing tales about her father, and her mother made extravagant promises, assuring her that she would get to meet him one day. That day had never come, but she looked forward to it dearly.

"Out of the way. I don't have time for..." he said, pausing to look down at her, "small beings." His tall figure looked down on hers imposingly, brooding over her meagerness. He stood several feet taller than her, and was more than twice her age, probably thrice.

"W-Wait!" she said, reaching out and grabbing the man by his jacket. She looked down at her shoes, sheepish, but still spoke, "My mom said that you should always help people when they need it. It's the kind thing to do..."

The man looked down at her, almost feeling a startling feeling in his chest. He leveled his face down to hers, and stared into her coal eyes. "I'm not a kind man," he said in a tender voice. He watched for Sarada's reaction, which was clear enough. The girl's white face turned a dark shade of pink, and she clenched her fists together. He noticed the flowers on the side of the green trail quake and bend, and he grew slightly nervous. The man was a Gold Knight, and feared nothing, especially not a girl barely half his height, but he knew that there was _something _strange about her, something he had never seen before.

"You're a _Knight of Gold River!" _she screamed, her teeth sharp and eyes blazing. She took a small step closer to the man, who was unintimidated by her, and looked him in the depths of his dark eyes. "You're job is supposed to be kind and helpful!" She glared at him for all that she was worth, and huffed a small sigh. "My mother always said that if anyone should be kind, it's you!" He scoffed at this notion, and began to walk away from the child, not bothered by her small outbursts. While her theatrics were nobel, and rather amusing, he had no time to babysit some day-dreamer's child. He was too busy, there was too little time in the day to be spent on small blocks in the road. The man had a single goal, to find his wife, and nothing was going to keep her from him. He remembered her to be a silly, playful creature, possessing long, bubblegum hair and sparkling, emerald eyes. He didn't understand how the beautiful nymph stole his stone heart, but she took it, and never gave it back. Consequently, when she disappeared from his life, she took most of him with her. She often told stories about things that didn't exist, legends and myths about magical beings. Her favorite story to tell involved a goddess granting wishes by finding her eggs, and if you find them, she'll be in your debt. So that's what he set himself out to do; find the goddess, and then find Sakura.

Lost in his thoughts, he was caught off guard when a root wrapped around his leg. Turning around, he saw the girl crounching on the ground, blue rings pulsing where her hands met the ground. When he looked up, her eyes shone the same shade of emerald as his love's, and for a moment, he forgot where he was. "My mother always said to make boys listen when you speak," she said, a light smile in her voice. The man hadn't registered it fully, but he seen something fierce beyond those stunning green eyes that wwere once a shade of obsidian, much like his were. "Now, Mr. Sasuke," she began, a sadistic smile showing on her face, much like his did in his boyhood, "you will be escorting me to Ruby Hall, is that clear?"

The girl reminded him of his youth. Sasuke was once an arrogant orphan, boastful and proud of his power, as his father was the prince of the Underworld and his mother was one of the fairest humans in the land. Naturally, him and his older brother were blessed with good looks and immense strength, but they were shortly left alone in the world after his parents passed in a war, not too long after Sasuke had turned six. His salvation had been his brother, who took him under his wing until he eventually passed of some strange disease he caught while deep in the jungles of the Blu Forest. Lost, he wandered alone, until he was taken in by Kakashi, who was Head of the Gold Knights. A strange, fatherly bond formed between the two men, and they have been in each other's company since. When his love left his life, he set out on a quest to find her, alone, but he never heard a peep from the nymph again. The girl had a similar fire in her shining eyes as he did, an underlying determination that kept her going. He ket his fangs show when he answered, "On a few conditions, small being."

She flashed her own set and tightened the roots onto his legs, but smiled brightly at him. Pulling her glasses off, she spoke, "Name your terms." Her red shirt stood against her white shorts easily, and she made sure to keep the man's eye's locked on hers, a trick she learned from her dear mother. She wanted nothing more but to see the woman again, to have her well and blissful, like she used to be. The eggs in her pack weighed heavy against her small frame, and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep her magic show up, but she held fast to the man, who shown little, but still _there_, signs of being impressed.

"First," Sasuke ordered, "you tell me your name."

"Sarada," she answered back. He was unsatisfied by her short response, but she wasn't offering anything more, that much was evident.

"Second, where are your parents? A girl your age shouldn't be out on her own, Sarada. It's a dangerous world, full of beasts and demons that won't think twice about consuming you whole." The girl opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. She shook her head back and forth, knocking loose her untamed hair and tossling about her brains. She grit her teeth, her fangs digginjg into her gums. "Speak, or no deal," Sasuke said, his voice resolute. He was sure he was going to take the child anyway, for vanity's sake, but he was curious about the girl's heritage. Where was the mother she spoke of so often? And her father? Surely, the girl had _someone _to rely on.

Delicately, with her voice wavering, she said, "I never my father, my mother was a very flighty woman, and never stayed in one place for too long. She loved him more than anything else, I swear it!"

"And where is she?"

"My mother left me when I was young, but she'll be back. She promised me she would," Sarada spoke with relative ease. A small smile graced her pale face, and she wiped the left side of her cheek with a piece of her shirt. In her heart, Sarada knew she only told a haf truth, somoething her mother advised against, but she was determined to make it a full truth. "Any more terms?" she asked the man, loosening her restraints on him.

Sasuke looked at the girl up and down, smirking to himself. She was practically alone in the world, with nothing but her magical poweress, which was formidable, but easily countered, and a single sword strapped to her hip. She was small and lithe, probably incredibly agile, but did she know anything about swordplay? How did such a small girl acquire such a sword anyway? "Let me train you to handle your sword," he said, stepping out of his prisons and walking towards the girl, his hand on his own weapon. She smiled at him and extended her hand towards his, surprised when his rough hand slid into hers and gave her a firm shake.


	32. moonlighting

_Summary : The garden has it's secrets, just as the night does. _

_Notes : Sorry._

_Characters : Sasuke, Sakura_

Moonlight Outings

.

.

.

The Forest Guadian wandered into the garden of the palace, confused and slightly homesick. The dew-covered grass seemed to extend for eternity, painting the night floor with an endless display of blue and purple. This garden was nothing like the woodlands he was used to, where he was surrounded by collasal trees that hid the shining stars above, and sheltered the freshwater creatures that made their homes in his lake. Out in this patch, the night sky was a clear picture of black and white, the stars twinkling and glittering before him. _It's beautiful, _he thought, _but not as beautiful as home. _Sasuke's own kingdom was a few miles out of the reach, in the heart of the Cherry Woodalnds, where he reigned and resided evr so peacefully. That is, until _she_ came along, his little princess. Everytime she found her way to him, with that mischievious smile and those radiant eyes, she bought with her enough trouble to last a lifetime, and she would bring more in the following days.

She somehow managed to rope him into marriage, for the sake of the kingdom, he had to remind himself, but both knew that neither of them were reasy to take such a large leap. He fancied her, t'is true, but he never worked up the nerve to even consider anything more than the friendship—if you could call it that—with her. This marriage was stricly a political, strategic move on behalf of the Cherry Kingdom. "I'd lay down my life for this kindgom, it's people, for _her," _he said to himself, musing, "but can I condemn her as well? A life with me...would be no life for her. Someone of her prestige deserves everything the world has to offer, and all I have is a cabin in the middle of a forest. To marry her would be to commit the deepest sin in history."

"Well, Mr. Sasuke, I would agree that taking my hand in marriage would be a pain," a voice said from above him. Sasuke whipped his head around, and found the princess draped against a balcony, some twenty feet above his head, a small smile on her face. She was radiant, illuminated by the soft glow of the stars above and the biological lights of the washburgles that lofted around her. With mischievous eyes, she lifted a leg on top of the balconey, and then another, balancing herself in the edge of the white fence. "I'm infernal, demanding, strong-willed and a downright terror when I feel it's right. I'm sorry I adore you so."

"Princess," Sasuke began, a small smirk growing on his face, "you also adore ragamewlers and nictrites, but I doubt you'd like living with those awful beasts, having them crawl and nip your toes," he finished, making his way closer to the castle's walls, watching the red uppertrooties bloom and unfold before him. "Please be careful," he advised, "wouldn't want you to have a mishap up there." He watched as her eyes shifted rapidly, from pale green to a indignant red, until they hit a pale shade of blue. He'd seen those eyes when he looked at her mother, and announced that she wouldn't be marrying any prince from a far off land.

Now, it seemed, he understood what they meant.

"If a had a mishap, then you wouldn't have to marry me," she spat, looking down on him. "Oh, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, would it? A small mis-step and you'd be free to go. Sounds marverlous, really."

"Don't speak such words, Sakura," Sasuke spoke hastily, "Never say anything so morbid."

"It's how I feel," she wound back, teetering on the edge of the rail, looking down at the ground under her.

"I don't want to marry you, t'is true. I'd rather fight my way through swarms of Suna's Legendary Sand Storms or drown in Ame's Canals than marry you," he said, his coal eyes staring at hers, growing a deeper blue with every syllable.

"You're charming when you insult me," she said spitefully, her gaze narrowing.

"But this isn't because you're an insufferable, intolerable, banshee of a woman—which you are—no, not at all. I can't marry you because I do not deserve you. An angel as yourself belongs with someone who can offer you the world, all of the worlds, and the moons and heavens to go along with it."

Gently, she let herself totter over the edge of the balcony, allowing her body to fall. Her eyes were closed easily, as if she was resting, and her breathing was even. She showed no fear or hesistation, just ease. With lightning fast rerflexes, the man ran to her, catching her before she hit the ground. "I knew you'd catch me," she replied, opening her eyes, revealing them a golden-green. Theb washburgles flitted around her, licing her skin and giving her light. A smile played on her features, but her voice rang ouit with seriousness, "I don't want to marry a man for what he could offer me, I have more than I need right here, Sasuke. I have everything a girl could ever want, I don't need to marry someone for what they have. If I were to be candid, I chos—" she said, stopping herself before she said anything more.

"You?"

"Don't worry about me," she said, biting her bottom lip. Her eyes lightening from the golden-green to a flustered, pink color, nearly enough to rival her hair. "We're facing your insecurities, not mine. Not tonight, okay?"

Maybe it was the garden, with the blue and purple flowers under him, or the dew covered grass playing tricks on him. Maybe it was the moonlight and the stars, casting a spell over him and his impulses with their soft shine. Maybe it was the washburgles, illuminating them and turning her soft skin eletric in his bare hands, that made him do it. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the way she stared at him, sincere and honest, open and slightly amazed, that prompted him to bring her closer to him. Without a second thought, he dipped his head down and met er lips in a kiss that was as chaste and it was short.


	33. caruosel

_Summary : You made hell feel just like home._

_Notes : Sorry again. Consistency isn't my strongsuit..._  
_Continuation of 6! before_

_Caruosel_

She awakened when the sunlight poured into her green eyes through closed, pale eyelids. Her head leaned against a window, she groaned light before she shifted in her seat determined to get a few more moments of sleep. The van she lived out of—only for the moment, she hoped—wasn't the most conventional—or comfortable—resting place, but it was the best the world had to offer. She lightly shook her head, dirty pink bangs falling into her eyes and slightly tangling with her lashes. "You awake, Sakura?" the man driving the van asked. His tone was unusually gentle, she assummed that he was trying not to disturb the sleeping passangers in the back, though she knew he cared little about the quality of their slumber. As long as they were alive, as long as they were fine, he couldn't care less. They could sleep when the apocalypse was over, he thought.

And according to the majority of the passangers—he was right. That didn't stop them from voicing (physically displaying in the strange case of the blondes) their grievances.

Sakura shifted to look at the man driving, opening her dull, candy-green eyes and blinkin for a moment, silent. His onyx hair, grown longer and a little shaggy, was the first thing that came into her line of vision. Blinking twice, she said, "No, Sasuke. I'm still sound asleep." Her normally bittersweet voice was laced with something different, slight promise? Anxiety? Sasuke looked her over for a moment and almost chuckled in her appearance. The girl was enveloped in a fluffy blue blanket, her body completely shielding from the outside world. Her small, white hands gripped the edge of the blanket and pulled it closer to her form. Her pale face was uncommonly serene, green eyes peaceful and chapped, pink lips almost smiling. It was an unusual sight for him to see; normally Sakura was ansty and nervous while traveling, desperate to find somewhere that looked like home. "Are we close to anything yet?" she asked, rolling over to look out the window.

The road they drove on was anything but smooth, but everyone kinew better than to complain. It was a miracle their old van worked well enough to drive across a parking lot, let alone across the country. On the sides, wild, yellow grass grew tall and unkempt, managled with weeds and rotting flesh. Some of that flesh wandered through the fields, faces falling apart and legs dragging. They emitted low moans from their throats, as if they were sighing. Sakura would've felt bad for them, but she knew the moment she stepped out of the car, they would attack her, peeling her skin and muscles away for the world to see. Just driving by, they were harmless, just sad creatures with no purpose, just an insatiable hunger.

The sky ahead was shifting from the orange-pink of sunset to the bue of morning. Sasuke liked this hour the best, the stillness of it all. The sun paused long enough to give the last of its pretty hues to the Earth, a final gift before facing the hardships of tomorrow. In the night, the darkness blinded you from the monsters that wandered in the streets and outide of your window. You couldn't see them, but there was the ever lingering threat that they were there. If you were good, you could pretend they weren't there; that they didn't exist. In the daylight, there was no hiding. You couldn't wish away the zombies, no matter how good you were. Their presence was strong and overwhelming, but at least you can see what you're up against. You couldn't hide, so they couldn't hide, either. You both were out in the open; equals. But in this early dawn hour, it seemed as if nothing had changed. There was never any virus, rotting bodies didn't litter the streets, and he was just a young man on a road trip.

It's a shame, how fleeting the hour passed.

"If you were awake twenty minutes ago," Sasuke began, cockily but still keeping his soft tone, "you would've noticed a sign saying a couple towns are up ahead. We'll be hitting one in about fifteen more miles." He kept his eyes on the road ahead of him, though he could feel her start to fidgit next to him. He knew she would get anxious at some point, but he couldn't say that he didn't love it when Sakura was calm. She was easier to be around while she was serene, nothing forcing him to be civil or keeping him restrained. Her anxiety heightened every sense in his body, and as uncomfortable as it was, he wouldn't want it any other way. Because, foolishly, he let himself get attatch to the pretty rainbow girl with innocent green eyes. He became a slave to her curse, doomed to fall and fall for her until there was no pit deeper than the one he was in. It'd started with a conversation in the bathroom of a shitty apartment they lived, partially out of desperation and partially out of impulse, and ignited after said shitty apartment was flooded with undead. He never wanted it to be this way, he had never wanted to play the hero in this fucked up, teenage horror film that became his – their – lives, but he couldn't help himself from sliding into a roll so natural.

"S-Some of us _enjoy_ sleeping," Sakura replied back with a small voice, trying to hide her insecurities. Forcefully, she rubbed her hands against each other, scrubbing them with her nails and scratching off her skin. She said there was no particular reason why she scrubbed her hands so forcefully, but she did so without fail. It was a ritual of some sort, and seemed to be nearly as addicting as any drug he's ever tried. "I had another dream about you," she said softly, candy eyes downcast.

"Oi, bastard!" a voice piped up from the back. Rapsy from sleep but still incredibly loud, Sakura smiled a bit at the awakening of her friend. "Mornin', Sak," he wheezed, coughing a little before sitting up in the backof the van. "Goddamn, I dunno how Kiba coulda lived in this thing for a year," he groaned, stretching. His tan face was marred with small scratches, mostly from his cousin, the other loud blond, Ino.

"This _thing_ is my _baby_ and she doesn't appreciate being disrespected, dickhead," Kiba quipped, his eyes still closed. "You owe her an apology."

"Eat shit."

"Fight me, bitch."

And as the two argued on in the backseats of the van, Sakura felt herself stop moving. Her nerves stilled and heartbeat slowed to a steady _thump thump _in her chest. The wringing of her hands stopped and she, hesistantly, grabbed one of the driver's hands, holding it tightly. "You're okay?" he asked softly, taking his eyes off the road to look at those innocent eyes, the very thing that got him caught in a trap so meticulously planned by God or the devil.

"I'm home," she smiled, closing her eyes and relaxing. "I'm okay right here."


	34. catching lightning

_Summary : "I thought I'd lost you."_  
_Rating : K_  
_Characters : Sasuke, Sakura._

catching lightning

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Bright blooms of the Gossamer Kingdom hung ceremoniously upon the walls, painting the once white room several shades of green and gold. The roof, composed of nothing but glass and silver trimmings, let in ample amounts of moonlight, cloaking the room in a subtle shade of darkness. Rose petals scattered across the floor in a haphazard, careless sort of way, some parts of the white wooden floors starting to take on a pink hue. Outside the castle walls, owls hummed and hooted quiet enough not to disturb a soul, but loud enough to be noticed. There, the garden was left in it's full glory, millions upon millions of flowers stood, just waiting to be acknowledged and praised. Soft music strummed throughout the room and echoes into it's halls, blessing everyone's ears with soft _buh-da-da-doh._ The ball looked romantic enough, royals and commoners charmed easily by the grace of it, the elegance of a party hosted by the King to welcome the new season of summer.

Party-goers were enchanted by the thrill of it, an excitement that seemed to reverberate throughout the room. Ladies dressed in clothing that they haven't donned in months took the liberty of dancing in the center of the room, their loud, bright fabrics of satin and lace decorating the floor. Gentleman, who preferred the outer edges of the room drank in their tuxedos, chatting quietly with one another about the dreadful, rainy season that passed by, leaving nothing but bright flowers in it's wake. Utterly blissful, seemingly leaving the masses ignorant of anything but tonight, of anything except for the moment in which they lived.

You find yourself fully immersed in the ball, laughing and dancing as if nothing mattered. The music found a way into your heart, pumping itself through your body, causing you to twirl and step wildly, as if the world would end if you stopped moving. In your mind, you knew that would never happen, but it felt like the night would never end and tomorrow would never come. How lovely would it be, you thought, a soft, pink smile reaching your lips, if the party never ended. You could dance all night, surrounded by happy people for eternity. Responsibilities tossed to the side, you laughed a hardy laugh, attracting the attention of everyone around you. Though, they were probably staring at the golden tiara resting in your pink tresses. Dressed in a glittering green dress with bare shoulders and loose, curly hair, you assumed that the public wasn't used to seeing their princess look so much like them. Still, you thrust yourself in the middle of the crowd and made conversation, feeling that if you should one day lead these people, then you should _know _these people.

It seemed to be going well for the most part, until _he _walked into the room. Unannounced, he broke through the threshold, seemingly in a burst of black light that enveloped his entire figure. His dark aura clung to him like a second skin, forming a cape that dragged across the floor. The strange man was eloquently dressed, a crisp white dress shirt with ruffles tucked into a pair of black slacks. Gold pins held his cape to his shirt, though it didn't look as if he needed any help in holding it up. With every step of his heavy black boots, a loud boom resounded against the high walls, like claps of thunder on a rainy spring night.

It was frightening, you felt as your green eyes scanned the room, how no one else noticed. Your people continued to laugh and dance, undisturbed by this man's presence. He stuck out like a sore thumb, so out of place at such a jovial event. Curiously, you let your eyes follow him throughout the room, where he stalks about, restless. His movements are frantic and anxious, and you can't help but wonder if he's lost. Your guest dance around him, moving away from him unintentionally, and for that you're grateful. Who knows what would've happened if they seen him wandering about? Feverishly, the mysterious man searches the room looking up and down the walls and under every chair, throwing his gaze everywhere.

It only stops when he's caught your eye. Easily, your gaze met his and you can see that his eyes are as dark as the cape that trails behind him, but they sparkle more than diamonds. Heavy and warm, his eyes forced you in place, leaving you helpless, dumbstruck in the center of the dance floor. The air around you seemed to change, from the light, flowery atmosphere to a deeper, more sensual force. You feel it on your skin, the warm heat caressing you, almost like a lover. It wraps around your throat and you feel it forcing you to breathe, because you forgot how to, just for a moment. An uneasy grin covers your face and you walk towards him wondering how else could he make you feel if just his eyes did _that._

His movements slow and become more steady, and in that moment, you realized that what he's been looking for is you. His eyes are locked on you as if you're something wondrous, divine and frightening all at once. You notice his body tense as you approach him, almost freezing in place. You almost laugh at him, but you choose to present yourself with more grace than that, and opt to cover your mouth with one of your hands. When you reach him, he says nothing, but extends his hand out to you, anticipation seeping through the close atmosphere. Smiling, you look at him and notice his white skin contrasting with the blackness of his hair, which no light seems to escape from. Taking his hand, you allow yourself to be led by him, his hand against the small of your back. "I can't remember the last time I held you like this," he whispers, his voice soft in your ear.

"I can't say I remember you at all," you responded looking at him with a healthy amount of wonder in your eyes. Without hesitation, he pressed his lips against your forehead, kissing you softly. For a moment, he let his lips linger against your skin, desperate to taste your skin.

Sighing softly, he spoke, "You will."

•

The next day, you awoke with a splintering headache, finding your bedchamber far too dark and your bed far too hard. Rising, you throw the curtains open with a sense of recklessness, not caring if they teared. From your window, you found a man donned in a black outfit, save for the white cape that trailed behind him. Slowly, he turned to face you at your window, revealing large, dark eyes that enticed you to follow him.

"Sasuke."

The single name rose to your lips, and left you unaware of where it came from, only that it had come.


	35. misguided ghost

_Summary : Everything really isn't._  
_Characters : Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, Kiba, Hinata_  
_Notes : I am so sorry_

misguided ghosts

·

_It's funny, _Sakura thought as she stared down at the semi-functioning world from the apartment window. One leg straightened on the ledge and back leaning against the frame, she smoothed out a piece of pastel pink hair and released a heavy sigh she didn't know she was holding. Her broken bottle colored eyes watched as the formerly-living—because when you call them _that _you're acknowledging that _something _is wrong and _nothing _can be wrong—watched them shuffle around, looking like mere ants on the pavement. _If you plugged your nose, you wouldn't know that weren't people. _Without another glance at the window, she asked herself, "Are they people?"

Damn if she knew. Abruptly, she stood and turned on her heel, walking away from the window as quickly as she could. They were dead. They were _dead. _The dead have no place in the world of the livingShe knew that. _This _was the world of the living. "Was it?" she asked herself, not knowing nor caring if the words left her lips for anyone else to hear. With _six fucking _roommates, there was never a shortage of people she could talk to, but she found herself to be the best consultant. She wasn't alone.

She could _never _be alone.

(She was fucking lonely.)

A sweep of long blonde hair crossed her vision before a smile took it's place. "Hey, Sak," Ino said, strutting past her and plopping down on an old, ratty couch that came with the shitty apartment (and it's non-living residents). "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," she added.

"I was staring at a couple of them," Sakura admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "They look like us, a little bit."

"So you're saying we look like death?"

"Kinda."

"Bitch."

"Whore."

"You're fucking Sasuke. You have no right to talk about anyone," the blonde huffed, a slight smile playing on her lips. Their conversations always ended like this, with insults being thrown across the room to hit the walls and break windows, only to find the two girls in a fit of giggles. The rosette sat on the arm of the couch, her white teeth threatening to expose themselves beneath pink lips. "Exactly. Stay quiet."

"We aren't _fucking," _she started, staring the blonde in her baby blues, laughter falling in between every word.

"It's 'cause you're ugly," Ino quipped, sticking her pink tongue out, as if she were a child and this was just another lazy Sunday afternoon with an old friend. Sakura smiled back, winding herself up to pounce predatorily on the larger girl. "I mean," the blonde continued, oblivious to Sakura's behavior, "I wouldn't fuck you either." With that, the rosette jumped down onto her, tackling and pinning her to the couch, thrashing wildly about. There was no concern for safety, which was unusual for the pinkette, but laughter was abundant, which was incredibly commonplace for both of them. The blonde rolled around under Sakura's grip, smiling and giggling, until a loud crash put a jarring dent into their fun, alerting them that some_thing_ some_where _was terrible wrong.

Well _shit._

·

They thought it was just a cold. Just a little cold and she'd get over it and be fine and everything would go back to normal. Of course, she smiled and nodded, going along with no words or complaints, like a good girl should. With her milky white eyes and pretty pale skin to match, Hinata lied in her bed and let everyone take turns helping her get over her 'cold'. When that cold spawned a fever, they didn't worry nor fear. Feeling warm meant that the body was killing the whatever foreign body entered in her system, it meant that she was _healing, _it meant that everything was okay.

But her fever had progressed into tremors and bouts of screaming—the awfully high pitched sounds that tore themselves from her throat—of _leavemealoneleavemealonepleaseleavemealone, _and it was painfully obvious that everything was not okay. But, like the fools they were, they hoped that she would be okay. She wasn't okay now, but soon she would be, and everything could get back to the destruction that they called normality. The small band of idiots could carry on as merry as they were before, nothing was different, nothing had changed.

Then they saw that her scratch was turning into something very, _very_ not okay. A long, simple scratch that started on her elbow and went down to her wrist, didn't bleed at first. This was fine. Just a scratch. Okay. It simply existed, an angry red line across her calm, white skin. Then, her arm pulled itself apart, blood oozing out at a nonalarming rate. Red trails dripping down her white arm slowly, every so often making a splash on the dirty carpet. This was fine. Just a scratch. Okay. Next, the skin on her arm started to mold and rot, black and green infecting what was once white and creamy. This was not fine. Not just a scratch. Not okay. Nothing was okay anymore. They knew that everything wasn't okay, that everything will never be okay again, but foolishly, they pretended like it was. They pretended and made-believe and hoped and prayed that it was, but it could never be.

Sasuke knew this well. He knew that this illness would claim her life, and he silently prayed that it would take her gently instead of transforming her into one of the depraved beasts that they were all doomed to be. He hoped that if she died of natural causes, she would not rise again. Fairy girls with big eyes and even bigger hearts didn't lasted long in their harsh reality, they never had. Unfortunately for her, she was one of those girls. Ethereal, quiet and out of place, these girls died first and were soon forgotten by nearly everyone. Maybe someone paid them a passing thought, but that was it. He watched over her, with disappointed eyes and a grim expression, mouth in a tight line. "You okay?" he asked, bending to help her up, but she moved away from him at an alarming rate. Her milky eyes looked frantic and panicked as they darted about in her skull, never finding anything to settle on. Sasuke dropped to his knees, reaching his hand out to her, still. "It's me," he said, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

"Donttouchmedonttouchmedonttouchme_please,"_ she chanted, like a mantra, her voice hoarse and audibly distressed. Her vocal cords seemed to scratch against each other, grinding against one another. The sound of her voice made him visibly cringe, sending the feral girl into a bout of tears, the water works streaming down her face quuicker than he could count. "ImnotdyinglikethisIdontwanttodielikethispleasedontletmedielikethis," she said, her small voice barely above a whisper. She pushed herself as far away frpm him as she could, and when she hit the wall, she seemed to dissolve into it, allowing it to swallow her whole.

The sharp opening of the door stole her attention away from the pale man watching over her with soft eyes to a much familiar, more welcome figure. Once she spotted the shaggy brown hair, she scrambled to get to him, moving on all fours across the dirty carpet, skinning her knees and the skin on her palms in the process. Abruptly, she wrapped her good arm—the other was barely an arm at this point, just a mess of black and green muscle attatched to a bone—around his neck in a vice-like hold, clinging to him like nothing else mattered. "Kiba," she sighed into his chest, burying herself into him. "Kiiiba," she moaned, moving herself on her toes and whispering in his ear, "I'm sick. I'm hurt." Gently, he scooped her into his arms, holding her close to him before setting her down onto the bed.

"You're supoosed to be laying down," he said simply, a boyish grin playing onto his features.

"You smell good," she said, her eyes drifting back and forth between Sasuke and Kiba. "I'm hungry," she said, her voice clear as crystal. There was a certain edge in her tone, a hidden ferocity she didn't know she possessed, but found that she liked. Sitting up on the bed, she looked at the boys with a shimmering glint in her milky eyes, "I'm hungry and you both smell _so _good." She moved to her hands and knees and predatorily stalked her way to the edge of the bed, that glint growing brighter and her posture more confident. The two men backed away from her slowly, finding the girl to be unmoving. She was threatening, her voice and eyes not her own, a hollow husk of someone she used to be.

Bursting into the room was a pretty girl with bright pink hair, holding a pretty pistol with a shiny black trigger. Her bottle-green eyes looked at her target with no emotion, her gun aimed her former friend's head, saying, "You should've let me do this when we first seen it." Her voice had a chill in it that wasn't unfamiliar, but not welcome. She stood in the threshold, frozen in place, eyes locked and focused but her lips trembled slightly.

"We have to help her," Kiba piped up, inching his way towards the pinkette, careful not to make any moves that would set either of the girls off. "Put the gun down—"

"Put the gun down, _Sak," _the girl on the bed said, teasingly. Her voice rang with familiarity, but the conniving smile on her face betrayed any sentiment by it. "Pretty please?"

"So she can kill us?"

"So we can _help _her, Sak," Kiba pleaded. Quickly, Sakura snapped her head over to him, taking her eyes off the seemingly still half-zombified girl on the bed.

"Fucking look at her, Kiba!" Sakura yelled, exasperated. "Take a good look at her! There is nothing left to help! Hinata is _dead. _She _died. _This—This—This bitch wants to fucking _eat _you."

"That's not true!" the girl piped, which bought Sakura's eyes back onto her, gazing at her with a fierce intensity that burned her corneas.

"Shut up!" Sakura screamed, aiming her gun. Her arms were unsteady and trembled a bit, but she held her stance.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, standing with his hands above his head as if he was talking to his father about which criminals he'd bought in. Taking sure, slow steps he walked over to the pinkette and stretched his hands out to her, taking one of her own into his. "Let me have the gun." His voice was together, no sign of apprehension or anxiety in his words. Sakura shook her head, but allowed Sasuke to take it from her.

"I'm sorry," was all he said before he pulled the trigger, splattering the girl's brains against the wall.


End file.
